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LETTERS ^ , 



OF 



MADAME GUYON; 



.:\ 



SELECTIONS OF HER RELIGIOUS THOUGHTS AND 
EXPERIENCES, TRANSLATED AND RE-ARRANGED 
N FROM HER PRIVATE CORRESPONDENCE; 

INCLUDING 

% 

HER CORRESPONDENCE WITH FENELON, ABRIDGED. 



By MRS. P. L. UPHAM. 




NEW YORK: 

W. C. PALMER, Jr., 14 BIBLE HOUSE. 

1870. 






Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year xS^o, by 

MRS. P. L- UPHAM, 

In the Clerk's Office of the District Coyt for the District of Maine. 



"^ Rand, Avery, a^Frye, Printers, Boston. 



IX^ 



PREFACE. 



Madame Guyon's correspondence wag 
very extensive, occupying five printed vol- 
umes. Her style of writing is somewhat 
diffuse. The writer does not undertake a 
literal and full translation of her letters, 
but has endeavored, in a concise way, to 
give a just expression of her religious sen- 
timents and experiences. 

Her correspondence withF^nelon is con- 
tained, principally, in the fifth volume of 
her letters. In translating this correspond- 
ence, the writer has also made a selection 
of such letters, and such portions of them, 
as she deemed of niost value. Correspond- 
ence between persons so distinguished nat- 
urally awakens deep interest. 

As far as can be ascertained from dates, 



IV PREFACE. 

this correspondence commenced in the year 
1688, — the year of Madame Guyon's release 
from prison, and embraces only two years. 
Fenelon embraced the doctrine of pure love, 
and suffered meekly all the persecutions he 
received on this account. He was the stead- 
fast friend and advocate of Madame Guyon 
and her principles, to the close of his life. 
Fenelon was a man of high position, a man 
of talents, learning, and piety, and greatly 
respected and boloved. 

The following extract is taken from the 
conclusion of all Madame Guyon^s writ- 
ings : — 

" If ever these writings fall into the hands 
of others, either before or after my death, 
I pray them not to examine them scrupu- 
lously, but endeavor to draw from them 
whatever instruction is adapted to their 
state. God will enlighten the humble." 

P. L. UPHAM. 

New York, 1870. 



SKETCH OF HER LIFE 



Jeannie Marie Mothe, the maiden name 
of Madam Guyon. was born at Montargis, in 
France, April 13, 1648, She was married to 
M. J. Guyon, in 1664, and became the mother 
of four children. In July, 1676, she was sepa- 
rated from her husband by death. Madam Guy- 
on was one of that number, who, in advance of 
the common standard of piety, are called to be 
Reformers ; and on this account, she suffered 
great persecutions. She was several times im- 
prisoned. At one time eight months ; and subse- 
quently four years in one of the towers of the 
celebrated Bastile. After her release from pris- 
on, she was banished for the remainder of her 
days to Blois, on the river Loire. At the time 
of her release from the Bastile, she was fifty-four 
years of age. Her sufferings from the cold, 
1^ V 



VI SKETCH OF HER LIFE. 

damp walls of the prison, in winter, and the con- 
fined air in summer, with other privations and 
hardships, greatly impaired her constitution, and 
rendered her a sufferer to the close of her days. 
She died June 9, 1717, aged sixty-nine years. 

During her imprisonment, she wrote her Auto- 
biography, which has been translated into Eng- 
lish. Another work of hers, " The Torrents," 
has recently been translated, very happily, by 
Mr. Ford. Also two essays, " Method of Prayer," 
and " Concise View of the Way of God," by 
J. W. Metcalf. It is not known by the writer, 
that her other works have been translated, with 
the exception of some of her poems by William 
Cowper; and "The Life and Experience of 
Madam Guy on," in two volumes, written by my 
husband. P. L. U. 



OOl^TElSTTS. 



1. Reign of Christ in the heart, . . . • . 11 

2. Turn away from Self to Christ, . , , ,14 

3. State of Assurance, 16 

4. Humility the Effect of Love, 18 

5. Divine Communications, 20 

6. Joy in Persecutions, 22 

7. Liberty in Christ, 24 

8. Melancholy Avoided, 27 

9. God's Care of the Soul, 29 

10. Power of the Adversary, 31 

11. Unction of Grace, 34 

12. Spiritual Oneness, 36 

13. Vicissitudes in Experience, 38 . 

14. Patience with the Faults of Others, . , ,41 

15. How TO distinguish the Movements of God, , . 43 

16. State of Simplicitt, 46 

17. Quenching the Spirit, 48 

18. Suffering Crucifixions and Reductions of Self, 50 

19. Reprove in Love, 63 

20. Silent Operation of Grace, 55 

21. Limit not your Sphere, 57 

22. Secret of Divine Operations, 59 

23. No Union with Selfish Souls, 67 

24. Never yield to Discouragement, . , , .69 

vii 



VUl CONTENTS. 

25. Weaknesses. Imperfections, 71 

26. State of Advancement, 73 

27. Greatness of Spiritual Poverty, . . . ,75 

28. Assistance Rendered, ....,,. 77 

29. Simplicity and Power of the Word, ... 79 

30. Forgetfulness of Self, 81 

31. Diversity of Means of Sanctification, . , ,83 

32. Comfort in Affliction, 85 

33. Bearing Fruit in Union with Christ, . . . 87 

34. Desolate State, 91 

35. Self- Abandonment, 93 

36. No Dependence on Instruments, . . . .95 

37. Child of God, Soon to Die, 97 

38. Union of Souls in God, 99 

39. Secret Operations of Grace, 101 

40. To A Young Friend, . 103 

41. Final Letter to her Spiritual Guide, . . .105 

42. Glory of God, the one Desire, .... 108 

43. Spiritual Union and Aid, 110 

44. Live in the Present, 112 

45. How TO administer Reproof, 114 

46. Bearing the States of Christ, . , , .116 

47. Imperfections no Hinderance, 118 

48. JDeath, Resurrection, 120 

49. Grace Deeply Interior, 122 

50. Self-Renunciation, 124 

51. Unexpected. Faults, 126 

62. Apostolic State, 128 

53. Painful Experience, 130 

54. Ecstasy of the Mind and Heart, . . . .132 
65. A View of Self, 134 

56. State of a Soul in Union with God, . . .136 

57. State of Best in God, 138 



CONTENTS. IX 

68. Great Humiliations, 140 

59. Repose of the Soul in Gtod, 142 

60. Power of casting out Devlls, 144 

61. State of a Soul re-united to God, . . . .146 

62. Concise View of the Interior Way, . . .148 

CORRESPONDENCE. 

1. Madame Guyon to Fenelon, 159 

2. Fenelon to Madame Guyon, 162 

3. Madame Guyon to Fenelon, . . . ... 164 

4. FENELON to Madame Guyon, 167 

5. Madame Guyon to Fenelon, 170 

6. Fenelon to Madame Guyon, 173 

7. Madame Guyon to Fi&nelon, 176 

8. FfiNELON to Madame Guyon, 181 

9. Madame Guyon to Fenelon, 184 

10. Fenelon to Madame Guyon, 187 

11. Madame Guyon to F£:nelon, 190 

12. Madame Guyon to Fenelon 194 

13. FENELON TO Madame Guyon, 197 

14. Madame Guyon to Fenelon, 200 

15. FfiNELON TO Madame Guyon, 203 

16. Madame Guyon to Fenelon, 206 

17. Fenelon to Madame Guyon, 209 

18. Madame Guyon to Mr. Poiret, 212 

SELECTIONS FROM HER POETRY. 

1 A Little Bird I am, 214 

2. God Everywhere, 215 



LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 



REIGN OF CHRIST IN THE HEART 

I HAVE read your letter, my dear brother, 
with great pleasure. It is my highest 
happiness to see the reign of Jesus Christ 
extending itself in the hearts of God's 
people. An external religion has too much 
usurped the place of the religion of the 
heart. The ancient saints — Abraham, 
Isaac, Jacob, Enoch, Job — lived interiorly 
with God. The reign of Christ on earth 
is nothing more nor less than the subjec- 
tion of the whole soul to himself. Alas I 
the world are opposed to this reign. Many 
pray, " Thy will be done on earth as it is 

in Heaven ;" but they are unwilling to be 

11 



12 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 

crucified to the world, and to theii sinful 
lusts. God designs to bring his children, 
naturally rebellious, through the desert of 
crucifixions — through the temptations in 
the wilderness, into the promised land. 
But how maqy rebel, and choose rather 
to be bond-slaves in Egypt, than suffer 
the reductions of their sensual appetite. 

Since Jesus Christ appeared on earth, 
there is a general belief that the kingdoms 
of this world will ultimately be subject to 
his dominion. But we may ask, who 
hastens his coming, by now yielding up 
his own heart to his entire control ? 

Our Lord imposed no rigorous ceremo-^ 
nies on his disciples. He taught them to 
enter into the closet ; to retire within the 
heart; to speak but few words; to open 
their hearts, to receive the descent of the 
Holy Spirit. 

The holy Sabbath has not only an 
external, but a deeply spiritual meaning. 
It symbolises the rest of the holy soul, in 



REIGN OF CHRIST IN THE HEART. 13 

union with God. Oh I that all Christians 
might know the coming of Jesus Christ 
in the soul ! Might live in God, and God 
in them ! 

God alone knows how much I love you, 
2 



14 LETTERS OF MADAME GUYON. 



TURN FROM SELF TO CHRIST 

You are not forgotten, my dear E. God 
has engraven you on my heart. If you 
have not consented to the thoughts that 
have crossed your mind, do not be afflicted 
on account of them. The examination 
and dwelling upon these thoughts, brings 
them again to life. / Be on your guard" 
against everything that entangles you in 
self. God is a Father who bears with the 
innocent faults of his children, and wipes 
away the stains they have contracted. The 
greatest wrong you can do to God is to 
doubt his love. He regards the simplicity 
and purity of the intention. It is right to 
cherish great self-distrust, to realise your 
weakness and helplessness ; but do not 
stop here. Confide as much more in God, 
as you hope less from yourself. 

Do not afflict yourself, because you do 
not at all times realise a sensible confidence 



TURN FROM SELF TO CHRIST. 15 

in God, and other consoling, happy states. 
Walk by faith, and not by sight, or positive 
perception of the good you crave. ' Let us, 
my dear E., be closely united, and walk 
together; not according to the way we 
might choose, but according to the way 
God chooses for us. 
I love you tenderly. 



.6 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 



ASSURANCE. 

Notwithstanding all that is said to me, 
my dear M., in opposition to my state, I 
cannot have one doubt of its reality. 
There is within me an inward testimony 
to the truth, so deep, that all the world 
could not shake it. Tt is the work of God 
upon my heart, and partakes of his own 
immutability. It seems to me that all the 
difficulties of theologians concerning this 
state, arise from viewing it, not in the light 
of divine truth and power, but in the light 
of the creature. It is true, the creature, in 
itself, is only weakness and sin ; but when 
it pleases God to new-create the soul, and 
make it one with himself, it is then trans- 
formed into the likeness of Christ. 

Who will dare limit the power of God ? 
Who will say that God, whose love is 
infinite as it is free, cannot give such proofs 
of love as he pleases, to his creatures? 



ASSURANCE. 17 

Has he not the right to love me as he does? 
Yes, he loves me, and his love is infinite. 
I do not doubt it. And he loves you, too, 
dear M., in the same manner. This is 
eternal love manifested, — the heart of 
God drawn out, — expressed towards his 
creature. 

In this state, we understand the mutual 
secrets of the Lover and the beloved. 
Who will so deny the truth of the Lord, 
as to question this ? f When I hold my 
beloved in my arms, in vain does one 
assert, "It is not so, — I am deceived." 
I smile inwardly and say, " My beloved is 
mine and I am his ! " " If we receive the 
witness of men, how much greater is the 
witness of God ? " 
2^ 



18 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 



HUMILITY THE EFFECT OF LOVE. 

I ASSURE you, you are very dear to me. 
I rejoice very much in the progress of your 
soul. When I speak of progress, it is in 
descending, not • in mounting. As when 
we charge a vessel, the more ballast we put 
in, the lower it sinks, so the more love we 
have in the soul, the lower we are abased 
in self. /< The side of the scales which is 
elevated, is empty; so the soul is elated 
only when it is void of love. " Love is our 
weight," says St. Augustine. Let 4is so 
charge ourselves with the weight of love, 
as to bring down self to its just level. Let 
its depths be manifested by our readiness 
to bear the cross, the humiliations, the 
sufferings, which are necessary to the 
purification of the soul. Our humiliation 
is our exaltation. " Whosoever is least 
among you shall be the greatest," says 
our Lord. 



HUMILITY THE EFFECT OF LOYE. 19 

I love you, my dear child, in the love ol 
the Divine Master, who so abased himself 
by love ! Oh ! what a weight is love, since 
it caused so astonishing a fall, from heaven 
to earth, — from God to man! There is a 
beautiful passage in the Imitation of 
Christ, ''Love to be unknown." Let us 
die to all /but God 



20 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 



DIVINE COMMUNICATIONS. 

God communicates himself to pure soulsj 
and blesses, through them, other souls, who 
are in a stati of receptivity. All these 
little rills, which water others, little com- 
pared with the fountain from which they 
flow, hav^ no determinate choice of their 
own, bi" t are governed by the will of their 
Lord and Master. The nature of God is 
comxnunicative. God would cease to be 
Gud if he should cease to communicate 
himself, by love, to the pure soul. As the 
air rushes to a vacuum, so God £Qls the 
_,^J^_^oul emptied of self. 

The seven blessed spirits around the 
throne, are those angels who approach 
nearest to God, and to whom he com- 
municates himself the most abundantly. 
St. John, perhaps, was better prepared 
than any of the apostles to receive the 
Word, incarnate, dwelling in the soul. 



DIVINE COMMUNICATIONS. 21 

On the bosom of Jesus, — in close affi- 
nity with him, — John learned the heights 
and depths of divine love. It was on this 
account our Lord said to his mother, " see- 
ing the disciple stand by whom he loved, 
Woman behold thy Son." He knew the 
loving heart of John would give her a 
place in his own home. 

God communicates himself to us in pro- 
portion as we are prepared to receive him. 
And in proportion as he diffuses himself 
in us, we are transformed in him, and bear 
his image. O, the astonishing depths of 
God's love! giving himself to souls dis- 
appropriated of self, becoming their end, 
and their final principle, their fulness, and 
their all. 



22 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 



JOY IN PERSECUTIONS. ^ 

I AM very grateful to you, my dear sir, 
for your sympathy in my apparent ills. 
God has not permitted that I should con- 
sider them otherwise than blessings. I 
trust what appears to destroy the truth 
will, in the end, establish it. Those who 
maintain the inward reign of the Holy 
Spirit will yet suffer maAy persecutions. 
There is nothing of any value but the 
love of God, and the accomplishment of 
his will. This is pure and substantial 
happiness. This joy no man taketh from 
us. 

It is my only desir to abandon myself 
into the hands of God, without scruples, 
without fears, without any agitating 
thoughts. 

Since I am there, O Lord, how can I 
be otherwise than happy? When divine 
Love has enfranchised the soul, what power 



JOY IN PERSECUTIONS. 23 

can fetter it? How small the world ap- 
pears to a heart that God fills with himself! 
I love thee, my Lord, not only with a 
sovereign love, but it seems to me I love 
thee alone, and all creatures only for thy 
sake. Thou art so much the soul of my^ 
soul, and the ♦life of my life, that I have 
no other life than thine. Let all the world 
forsake me ; my Lord, my Lover lives, and 
I live in him. This is the deep abyss 
where I hide myself in these many perse- 
cutions. O, abandonment! blessed aban- 
donment ! Happy the soul who lives no 
more in itself, but in God. What can 
separate my soul from God ? Surely, 
none can pluck me from my Father's 
hands. All is well, when the soul is in /^ 
union with him. 



\L- 



24 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 



LIBERTY m CHRIST. 

" If the Son make ye free, ye shall be 
free indeed." When the man of sin is 
destroyed, and the new man established 
in the soul, it finds itself in perfect liberty. 
As a bird let loose from its cage, the soul 
goes forth, unfettered, to dwell in the im- 
mensity of God. The natural selfish life 
restricts the soul at every point ; and even 
God, the great /am, is unseen, or deprived 
of his glory. 

"When Paul asked, "Who shall deliver 
me from this body of death ? " he added, 
" I thank God, through Jesus Christ our 
Lord." That is, when by the grace of 
God^ the new man is established in my 
soul, I shall be delivered. And, subse- 
quently, when deliverance came, he cried 
out in transport, "I live, and yet not I. 
Christ liveth in me!" He was now no 



LIBERTY IN CHRIST. 25 

more occupied of himself, but let Jesus 
Christ live and act in him ; he was ani- 
mated by him, as the body is of the soul. 
If another soul animated our body, the 
body would obey this new soul ; it would 
become the moving-spring of its operations. 
Thus Jesus Christ becomes the life of the 
new man. And what can be more free, 
more enlarged, than the soul of Jesus? 
His nature is divine, eternal, boundless. 
Alas! to what a narrow point does self 
reduce us ! Who that looks at the freedom 
and expansion of the soul, as it puts on 
the new man, Christ Jesus, will not crush 
the reptile self to the dust, that the life of 
God may again, as in its first creation, 
animate the soul ? 

This liberty is as the eagles' wings, of 
which the prophet speaks, which carries 
the soul on high. The dove that lighted 
on Jesus, was an emblem, not only of 
innocence, but of freedom, — of liberty^ of 
3 



26 LETTERS OF MADiJl GUYON. 

spirit to soar and dwell in God. May- 
it please God to give you an experience 
of this liberty. Quit self, and you will 
find the freedom and enlargement of the 
All in AU. 



MELANCHOLY AVOIDED. 27 



MELANCHOLY AVOIDED. 

I ASSURE you, my dear M., I sympathize 
deeply in your sufferings ; but I entreat 
you, give no place to despondency. This 
is a dangerous temptation, — a refined, not 
a gross temptation of the adversary. Mel- 
ancholy contracts and withers the heart, 
and renders it unfit to receive the impres- 
sions of grace. It magnifies and gives a 
false coloring to objects, and thus renders 
your burdens too heavy to bear. Your 
ill-health and the little consolation you 
have from friends, help to nourish this 
state. God's designs, regarding you, and 
his methods of bringing about these de- 
signs, are infinitely wise. 

There are two methods of serving Httle^^ 1/ 
children. One is, to give them all they 
want for present pleasure. Another is, to 
deny them present pleasure for greater 
good. God is a wise Father, and chooses 
the best way to conduct his children. 



28 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 



T 



A sad exterior is more sure to repel 
than attract to piety. It is necessary to 
serve God, with a certain joyousness of 
spirit, with a freedom and openness, which 
renders it manifest that his yoke is easy ; 
that it is neither a burden nor inconve- 
nience. 

If you would please God, be useful to 
others, and happy yourself, you must 
renounce this melancholy disposition. It 
is better to divert your mind with innocent 
recreations, than to nourish melancholy. 
When I was a little child, a nephew of 
my father's, a very godly man, who ended 
his days by martyrdom, said to me, " It 
is better to cherish a desire to please God, 
than a fear of displeasing him." Let the 
desire to please God, and honor him, by 
an exterior all sweet, all humble, all cordial 
and cheerful, arouse and animate your 
spirit. For this I pray. Ever yours. 



GOD^S CARE OF THE SOUL. 29 



GOD'S CARE OF THE SOUL COMMITTED TO 
HIM. 

O, THAT you could realize, my dear 
friend, how much God loves you. rSs~a 
painter draws upon his canvas what 
image pleases him, so God is now pre- 
paring your soul, by these inward cruci- 
fixions, to draw upon it his own likeness. 
He cherishes you as the mother her only 
son. He would have you yield readily to 
his will, even as the branches of the tree 
are moved by the light breath of the 
wind. In proportion to your abandon- 
ment to God, he will take care of you. 
When you yield readily to his will, you 
will be less embarrassed to discern the 
movements of God. You will follow them 
naturally, and be led, as it were, by the 
providencies of God. God will gently 
arrest you if you mistake. God has the 
same right to incline and move the heart 
3* 



30 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 

as to possess it. When the soul is per- 
fectly yielding, it loses all its own consist- 
ency, so to speak, in order to take any 
moment the shape that God gives it ; as 
water takes all the form of the vases in 
which it is put, and also all the colors. 
Let there be no longer any resistance 
in your mind, and your heart will soon 
mingle in the ocean of love ; you will 
float easily^ and be at rest. 



POWER OF THE ADVERSARY. 31 



POWER OF THE ADVERSARY. 

I AM deeply afflicted that so many, at 
the present day, and even some good per- 
sons, allow themselves to be openly seduced 
by the Evil One. Has not our Lord 
warned us against "false prophets, and 
the lying wonders of the last days ? " All 
true prophets have spoken in the name 
of the Lord — '" Thus saith the LordP 
Nothing gives the enemy greater advan- 
tage than the love of extraordinary mani- 
festations. I believe these external move- 
ments are a device of the evil one, to 
draw away souls from the Word of God, 
and from the interior tranquil way of faith. 

The tendency of all communications 
from God, is to make the soul die to^elf. 
An eminent saint remarks, that sha^ad 
often experienced illuminations from the 
angel of darkness, more pleasing, more 
enticing, than those that came from God. 



32 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 

Those delusory manifestations, however, 
leave the soul in a disturbed state, while 
those that come from God humble, tran- 
quilise and establish the soul in Him. The 
most dangerous seductions are those, which 
assume the garb of religion and have the 
semblance of truth. 

Elias appeared alone among four hun- 
dred prophets of Baal. These prophets 
were much agitated, attracting great at- 
tention, " crying aloud," etc. 

When Elias was told by the angel, that 
he would see the Lord in Mount Horeb, 
he hid hiraself in a cave. He saw a great 
trembling of the earth. God was not 
there. There came a great whirlwind. 
God was not there. Then there came a 
little zephyr. God \uas in the still small 
voice. 

The only true and safe revelation, is 
the internal revelation of the Lord Jesus 
Christ in the soul. " My sheep hear my 
voice." This involves no disturbance of 



POWER OF THE ADVERSARY. 33 

our freedom, of the natural operations of 
the mind ; but produces a beautiful har- 
monious action of all the powers of the 
soul. I beseech you, my friend, in the 
name of the Lord, to separate yourself 
from all these delusions of the adversary. 



/ 



34 ♦ LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 



UNCTION OF GRACE. 

Friday morning, the 15th, I suffered very- 
much, on account of the individual^ whom 
you know. It seemed to me, that God 
wished that the all of self in him should be 
destroyed. I perceived, that although the 
truths he uttered, proceeded from the 
inward work of the spirit upon his heart, 
his reasoning faculty operated so power- 
fully, without his perceiving it, that the 
effect of these truths was in some degree 
lost. 'Souls are won more by the unction 
of grace — by the weapons of love — than 
by the power of argument. 

Are not the truths you utter, my friend, 
too much elaborated by the intellect, and 
polished by the imagination ? Their effect 
seems to be lost, for want of simplicity and 
directness. They fall pleasantly on the 
ear, as a lovely song, but do not reach and 
move the heart. There is a lack of unction. 



-'N 



UNCTION OF GRACE. 35 

Are you not always laboring for something 
new jtnd original, thus exhibiting your own 
powers of mind, rather than the simple 
Jrath ? 

Receive this suggestion, and light will 
be given you upon it. Do I speak too 
plainly? To speak the truth, and the 
truth only, is all I desire. I have this 
morning prayed, rather to be taken out of 
the world, than to disguise the truth. I 
have proclaimed it, in its purity, in the 
great Congregation, and it will be seen 
that Thou, O Lord, hast distilled it in my 
heart ; or rather, O Sovereign Truth, that 
Thou art there thyself, to manifest thyself 
plainly, and that Thou dost make use of 
weak things to confound the strong. God 
is truth and love. In Him yours. 



36 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 



SPIRITUAL ONENESS. , 

My union with you, my dear child, is 
steadily increasing. I bear you in my 
heart with a deep and absorbing interest, 
and seem anxious to communicate to you 
the abundant grace poured into my own 
soul. How close, how dear is the union 
of souls, made one in Christ ! Our Savior 
beautifully expressed it, when he said, 
" Whosoever shall do the will of my 
Father, the same is my mother, sister and 
brother." There is no union more pure, 
more strong, than the union of souls in 
Christ ! In this manner, pure as delightful, 
the saints in Heaven possess each other in 
God; — a union which does not interrupt 
the possession ai God, although it is dis- 
tinct from God. 

Let your soul have within it, a continual 
Yes. When the heart is in union with 
God, there is no Nay^ — it is Yes^ be it so^ 



SPIRITUAL ONENESS. 37 

which reverberates through the soul. This 
Yes, this suppleness, renders the heart 
agreeable to the heart of the Spouse. It 
was thus with Mary, the mother of our 
Lord, when the angel messenger came to 
her, she replied, " Behold, the handmaid 
of the Lord, be it unto me according to thy 
word. " It was thus with the child-like 
soul of Samuel, when he said, " Speak, 
Lord, for thy servant heareth. " It was 
thus with our divine Lord, " Lo, I come 
to do thy will. " 

Yours in the fellowship of the Saints. 



38 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 



VICISSITUDES IN EXPERIENCE. 

As the outgoings of life proceed from 
the living man, while we live in ourselves, 
we have a strong will and eager desires, 
and many fluctuating states. But in pro- 
portion as our will passes into the will of 
God, the desires which are the offspring 
of the will, are subjugated, and the soul is 
reduced to unity in God. 
„_^»«— -^g the soul advances in the life of God, 
its natural or selfish movements decrease ; 
and it depends less on mere emotional 
exercises, and there is really less variation 
of the emotions. 

Rest assured, it is the same God who 
causes the scarcity and the abundance, the 
rain and the fair weather. The high and 
low states, the peaceful and the state of 
warfare, are each good in their season. 
These vicissitudes form and mature the 



VICISSITUDES IN EXPERIENCE. 39 

interior, as the different seasons compose 
the year. Each change in your inward 
experience, or external condition, is a new- 
test, by which to try your faith and love ; 
and will be a help towards perfecting your 
soul, if you receive it with love and sub- 
mission. 

Leave yourself therefore in the hands of 
Love. Love is always the same, although 
it causes you often to change your position. 
He who prefers one state to another, who 
loves abundance more than scarcity, when 
God orders otherwise, loves the gifts of 
God more than God himself. 

God loves you ; let this thought equalise 
all states. Let him do with us as with the 
waves of the sea, and whether he takes us 
to his bosom, or casts us upon the sand, 
that is, leaves us to our own barrenness, all 
is well. 

For myself, I am pleased with all the 
Lord orders for me. I hold myself ready 



40 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 

to suffer, not only imprisonment but death ; 
perils everywhere — perils on the land — 
perils on the sea — among false brethren; 
all is good in Him, to whom I am united 
forever. 



PATIENCE WITH OTHERS. 41 



PATIENCE WITH THE FAULTS OF OTHERS. 

I LOVE you very much, my dear M. If 
my love could be of any avail, it would 
console you, for I feel a greater tenderness 
and sympathy for you, than I am able to 
express. I am more certain than ever, that 
God designs you for himself. Live exte- 
riorly with N., as being entirely reconciled. 
Make not too much account of his coldness, 
his passionate temper, his contempt. It is 
not by these you are to regulate your con- 
duct, but by a motive more elevated — God 
and his glory. Let your heart endure his 
bitterness, for the love of Him, who pre- 
ferred grief to pleasure. At the same time, 
do no violence to your own sacred feelings, 
to accommodate yourself to him, in order 
to give him a pleasure he cannot appreciate. 
Regard your present condition, as a means 
God has given you, to manifest your love 

to himself, by a willingness to sacrifice 
4# 



42 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 

yourself. Reject not this cross, shall I not 
rather say crown, and let all be accom- 
plished between God and your soul, in 
such a quiet manner, that the struggle 
with your own feelings will not be per- 
ceived. 

While you are bearing this daily cross — 
this real crucifixion — I am certain God 
will sustain you, from the fulness of his 
love. All is alike good, when God is with 
us. I love you tenderly. God loves you ; 
let this make amends for all. In Him 
devotedly yours. 



DIVINE MOVEMENTS. 43 



HOW TO DISTINGUISH THE MOVEMENTS 
OF GOD. 



You enquire, how one who desires to ""^ 
follow the ipovements of God's spirit, may 
distinguish these movements, from the 
natural operations of the mind. There is 
not, at all times, a positive certainty regard- 
ing divine movements. If it were so, we 
should become infallible as the angels ; 
that is, if we were as pure in our intentions. 
We must walk with God, in entire aban- 
donment and uncertainty, at the risk of 
sometimes making mistakes, which in the 
infancy of experience is unavoidable. He 
who wishes for a particular inspiration, or 
direction in common matters, which his 
own reason and judgment can determine, 
is liable to deception. 

A pure soul acts in simplicity, and with- 
out certainty, being persuaded that what 
is good comes from God, and what is not 



44 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 

good from self. The greater the simplicity, 
— the more separate from the mingling of 
self-activity — the purer are these opera- 
tions ; because the soul in this state is only 
a simple instrument, that the Word, which 
is in her, moves, so that it is the Word 
which speaks and not herself. This man- 
ner of speaking, relates to matters of 
importance, and not to the minute concerns 
of every-day life. The divine Word, in all 
exigencies^ is found in the soul, that is 
wholly consecrated to Christ. " When 
they bring you before magistrates and 
kings, etc., it shall be given .you in that 
hour what ye shall speak. " This method 
of divine leading — by t'le hour and by the 
moment — ^ leaves the soul always free and 
unencumbered, and ready for the slightest 
breath of the Lord. This breath, in the 
pure soul, is as the gentle zephyr, and not 
as the whirlwind, which shakes the earth. 
Do not then expect to have anticipated 
movements, or movements beforehand from 



DIVINE MOVEMENTS. 45 

God. I have an experience of many years, 
that God often makes known his will, only 
in the time of action. 

If a pure soul, wholly sacrificed to God, 
should undertake something contrary to 
the will of God, it would feel a slight 
repugnance, and desist at once. If one 
does not feel this repugnance, let the act 
be performed in simplicity. A mother who 
holds her child by a leading-string, loosens 
it, that it may walk ; but if about to make 
a mis-step, she draws the string. The 
repugnance which a holy soul feels to do a 
thing, is as when the mother draws the 
leading-string. 



46 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 



STATE OF SIMPLICITY. 

I EXPERIENCED recently, a marked per- 
ception of your state, as one in which God 
took delight, and upon which he h^d 
infinite designs, regarding himself and his 
glory. I saw clearly the state to which 
God desired to bring you — the means to 
be used, and the obstacles in the way — 
the mutual sympathy and confidence he 
required between us — and the openness 
and freedom of communication necessary 
for our mutual benefit, and that we should 
not hesitate to speak freely of each other's 
faults. 

The peculiarity you remark in my expe- 
rience, needs some explanation. You say 
I do not seem to be wounded, nor blame 
myself when reproved for a fault. To 
which I reply simply, there is no more of 
self remaining in me to be wounded. This 
indifferent state you notice in me, arises 



STATE OF SIMPLICITY. 47 

from the state of innocency and infancy in 
which I find myself. Our Lord holds me 
so far removed from myself, or from my 
natural state, that it is impossible for me 
to take a painful view of myself. When 
a fault is committed by me, it leaves no 
traces on the soul; it is as something 
external, which is easily removed. Do not 
infer that I am blind to my faults. The 
light of truth is so subtle and penetrating, 
that it discovers the slightest fault. Souls 
which are in the natural life, have real 
faults, as a paper written over with ink is 
strongly marked, therefore they see and 
feel them. But souls, transformed into 
God, have faults, as a writing traced on 
sand when the wind is high, the wind 
defacing it as soon as it is traced. This is 
the economy of divine wisdom, relating to 
souls in union and harmony with God. 
Oh! the greatness and simplicity of the 
way of Truth! How unlike the world's 
apprehension of it ! 



48 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 



QUENCHING THE SPIRIT 

Desiring to follow closely the divine 
leading, I expressed to you the other day, 
some sentiments you were not able to 
receive. I perceived at once,' that on 
account of your resistance, I could say no 
more. From this experience, although 
painful as regards yourself, I learnt the 
extreme delicacy of the spirit that seeks 
to aid others ;^>and the strength of man's 
freedom to oppose this operation. I real- 
ized, also, my inability to act of myself; 
for, as soon as the spirit in me was sUent, 
I had nothing to say. I had, however, 
the extreme satisfaction of knowing, that 
this good spirit alone conducted me ; and 
that I would not, in the least degree, add, 
nor diminish from its operations. 

It was from a knowledge, gained by 
experience, of the extreme delicacy and 
purity of this divine spirit, that I remarked 



QUENCHING THE SPIRIT. 49 

to you, the other day, that if you did not 
receive the instructions I then imparted, 
I should have nothing farther to commu- 
nicate to you. O, how pure and how 
unlike the impetuous operation of man's 
spirit, is this operation of Qod ! 



50 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 



SUFFER THE CRUCIFIXIONS AND REDUC- 
TIONS OF SELF. 

All the graces of the Christian, spring 
from the death of self. Let us, then, bear 
patiently the afflictions, which reduce this 
overflowing life. There is a suffering in 
connection with confusions and uncertain- 
ties, very trying to bear. Unbounded pa- 
tience is necessary, to bear not only with 
ourselves, but with others, whose various 
tempers and dispositions are not congenial 
with our own. " Offences," — wounds of 
spirit will occur while we live in the flesh. 
These offences must be borne in silence, 
and thus subjugated and controlled by the 
spirit of grace. By a law of our nature? 
we feel, more or less, the influence of the 
spheres in which we move. 

While we honor, we think, the true 
cross, the affliction that comes from God, 
let us remember, that these instruments, 



CEUCIFIXIONS OF SELF. 51 

SO disagreeable, are the true cross that 
providence daily furnishes us. 

Do not sully the cross and mar its opera- 
tions, by your murmurs and reflections. 
Let us welcome any trials, that teach us 
what we are, and lead us to renounce our- 
selves and find our all in God. 

Jesus Christ says, " He who renounces 
not all that he hath, cannot be my disciple." 
Of all possessions, that of ourselves is the 
most dangerous. ^ 

Please present my cordial regards to 
your brother. I sympathize deeply in his 
misfortunes. I use this expression, in con- 
formity to common usage, but it does not 
express the sentiments of my heart. I am 
convinced that the loss of wealth, worldly 
honor, persecutions, are the best instru- 
ments to unite us to Jesus Christ. All evils, 
or apparent evils, are great blessings when 
they unite us to our All in All. I pray 
God to sustain him. His sufferings only 



62 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 

increase my sympathy and love for him in 
our Lord. My health is still feeble, but 
all is weU in the depths of my heart. God 
is there. 



REPROVE IN LOVE. 



REPROVE IN LOVE. 



It is important to use great care and ^l^ 
sweetness in reproving others. Reprove 
only when alone with the person, and 
take not your own time, but the moment 
of God. As we are not free from faults 
ourselves, we must not expect too much 
from others. Be yourself very humble and 
child-like, and this character will act syrii- 
pathetically on others. Jesus Christ was 
full of sweetness and charity. How pa- 
tiently did he bear with his imperfect 
disciples, even with Judas, without anger, 
without bitterness, and even without cold- a. 
ness. — 

How lowly was Jesus ! He " did not 
break the bruised reed." He imparts to his 
little ones no tyrannic power. They use no 
violence in dealing with souls, but say 
with John, " Behold the Lamb of God, 
who taketh away the sins of the world." 
5^ 



54 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 

Our Lord " rejoiced in spirit," in an 
unusual manner, such as we find nowhere 
else in Scripture, when he said, " I thank 
thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, 
because thou hast hid these things from 
the wise and prudent, and revealed them 
unto babesP How happy are we in the 
presence of a little child; how much at 
ease ! • It imposes on us no burden of 
restraint, of fear, of management! It is 
in this childlike disposition of meekness, 
of sweetness, of innocency, that we should 
seek to benefit others. 

In the love of Jesus, yours. 



SILENT OPERATION OF GRACE. 55 



SILENT OPERATION OF GRACE. 

I PERCEIVE, by your letter, you are in 
doubt about the grace which passes inte- 
riorly from heart to heart. We notice 
an illustration of this in the woman who 
touched our Lord, when "he said : " I 
perceive that virtue is gone out of me." 
In a similar manner, without words, one 
heart may communicate grace to another 
heart, as God imparts grace to the soul. 
But if the soul is not in a state to receive 
it, the grace of the interior is not com- 
municated, as is expressed in another 
passage ; " K they are not children of 
peace, your peace will return to you again." 
This illustrates, according to my view, 
pure interior communications of the grace 
of God, from heart to heart, which the 
soul relishes in silence, and which silence 
is often more efficacious than a multitude 
of words. 



56 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 

At our last interviews I had an inclina- 
tion for silence, but finding in you an 
aversion to silent communion, I entered 
into conversation, but without any interior 
correspondence on my part, and, evidently, 
without any benefit to you. God would 
teach you, my dear child, there is a silence 
of the soul through which he operates, 
filling it with the unction of grace, to be 
diffused on other hearts who are in a state 
of receptivity, often more efficacious than 
words to replenish the soul. 

We find this still harmonious action in 
nature. The sun, the moon, and stars, 
shine in silence. The voice of God is 
heard in the silence of the soul. The 
operation of grace is in silence, as it comes 
from God, and may it not reach and pass 
from soul to soul without the noise of 
words? O, that all Christians knew what 
it means to keep silence before the Lord ! 



LIMIT NOT YOUR SPHERE. 57 



LIMIT NOT YOUR SPHERE. 

Let me urge you, my child, to enlarge 
your heart ; or, rather, suffer it to become 
enlarged by grace. This contraction shuts 
you up in yourself, and hinders an agree- 
able openness which we should ever main- 
tain, even towards those who have no 
particular affinity with ourselves. An 
open, frank exterior wins confidence. Let 
it not appear, that you have so much relish 
for yourself, as not to think of others. 
What seems to us a virtue is sometimes 
regarded by God as a fault; and which 
we shall so perceive, when we have clearer 
light. 

You seem to mark out for yourself a 
certain sphere, and if you go beyond it, 
you think you do yourself an injury. 
Thus, while you have an apparent move- 
ment, you are only describing a circle, 
whose centre and circumference is self. 



58 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 

I entreat you, pass beyond the narrow 
bounds of self; — suffer yourself to be led 
out of self into the will and way of God. 
Thus you will be much more happy and 
useful. If I loved you less, I should be 
less severe. 

Let God be the sovereign Master over 
our hearts, and instruct, and reprove, and 
operate, in us, by himself, or through others, 
as pleases him. 

Adieu. God bless you, my child. 



SECRET OF DIVINE OPERATIONS. 59 



SECRET OF DIVINE OPERATIONS UPON 
THE SOUL. 

Do not suppose, Dear Sir, that you are 
to be purified by great trials and extraor- 
dinary events^ All is accomplished in you 
by the suppleness of your will, — by the 
state of infancy. It must be so on account 
of the pride of your natural reason. God 
conducts the soul in a way opposed to 
human philosophy. Hence the necessity 
of being reduced to the state of infancy, 
and to the subjection of the will. What^ 
we call the death of the will^ is the passage 
of our will into the will of God. This 
change implies not only a change in ex- 
ternals, but the inward subjection of the 
desires and sentiments of the heart. Here 
most persons, who commence the religious 
life, stop short. They cannot submit to 
the interior crucifixion, which lays prostrate 
the whole of the natural carnal life, and 



60 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 

consequently there follows a mingling of 
the spirit of the flesh with grace, and it 
is this which produces such monsters in 
the religious world. Do we not read in 
Scripture, that in consequence of the alli- 
ance of the sons of God with the daughters 
of men, giants were born, who so filled the 
earth with wickedness, they drew down a 
deluge of wrath upon the world? It is 
from this abominable alliance of the flesh 
with the spirit, that all those who appear 
in the world, as " mighty men, men of 
renown," are produced and sustained. One 
may be full of the natural life, while appa- 
rently dead to the external things of the 
world. Thus they are dead to inferior 
things, and alive in the most essential 
joints — dead in name, but not in reality. 
By an authority as gentle as efficacious, 
God accomplishes his will in us, when we 
have surrendered our souls to him. The 
consent we give to his operations, and our 
relish of them, is sweet and sustaining, in 



SECRET OF DIVINE OPERATIONS. 61 

proportion to the perfection of our aban- 
donment. God does not arrest the soul 
with violence. He adjusts all things in 
such a manner, that we follow him happily, 
even across dangerous precipices. So good 
is this Divine Master, so well does he 
understand the methods of conducting the 
soul, that it runs after him, and makes 
haste to walk in the path he orders. 

Suppleness of soul is, therefore, of vital 
consequence to its progress. It is the work 
of God to eifect this. Happy are the souls, 
who yield to his discipline. God renders 
the soul, in the commencement, supple to 
follow illuminated reason; afterwards to 
follow the way of faith. He then conducts 
the soul by unknown steps, causing it to 
enter into the wisdom of Jesus Christ 
which is so different from all its former 
experience, that without the testimony of 
divine filiation, which remains in the soul 
in a manner hidden, and the ease and 
liberty the soul finds in this unknown 
6 



62 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 

way, it would consider itself as being 
separated continually from God, being left, 
as it were, to act of itself. Human wisdom 
being here lost, and the powers of the soul 
controlled by the wisdom of Jesus Christ, 
born in the soul, it increases in its propor- 
tions, even unto the stature of a perfect 
man in Christ Jesus. 

The soul, having now passed into God, 
is in its proper place, and will be happy, 
provided it remains fixed and separate from 
its former manner of acting. 

Reason may at times oppose with all 
its strength, and cause some fears, some 
hesitations ; but, being fixed in God, it is 
impossible for the soul to change its course ; 
and, after the experience of many useless 
sufferings, having their origin in self, it 
suffers itself to be drawn in the current 
of love. There is now no more of violence 
to nature. The soul is in its natural state. 
The ease and naturalness of this state 
causes, at times, some fear, some anxiety. 



SECRET OF DIVINE OPERATIONS. 63 

It is as much the nature of man, originally, 
and in his new creation in the likeness of 
Christ, to be in God, and to be there in 
perfect enlargement, simplicity, and inno- 
cence, as it is the nature of water to flow 
in its channel. When man is as he should 
be, his state is one of infinite ease and 
without limitations, because he is created 
sovereign, or master of himself, and cannot 
be subjected by anything created, although 
he is subjected to God, if that may be 
called subjection, which brings the soul into 
affinity with God, and makes it partaker 
of his nature. 

Be therefore persuaded, that God uses 
no violence in dealing with the soul. This 
commotion in the soul, arises from the 
resistance of man's will to divine opera- 
tions. When the soul is disenfranchised 
of all that is opposed to the will of God ; 
when it is not arrested either by desires or 
repugnancies, it runs without stopping or 
weariness in the way. This is what is 



64 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 

called death, — death to self; but the soul 
was never so much alive ; it now lives the 
true life, the life of God. 

When the soul becomes one with God 
by the loss of its own will and life, it has 
purposes, and it is important to follow 
them ; but they are purposes in God, and 
have in them nothing of self. All that has 
rapport to self is no more, and God is all. 
Being passed into God, the soul is changed 
and transformed in him. This is what the 
mystics call Resurrection. But the word 
used in this way, does not bear its usual 
signification. To resuscitate is to revive 
the former life. But in this case, the will, 
or natural life is consumed, and gives place 
to the will or life of God. Thus the Holy 
Spirit operates effectively in the soul, trans- 
forming it into the likeness of the Son of 
God. 

Now the soul participates in the qualities 
of God, one of which qualities, is that of 
communicating itself to other souls. Or 



SECRET OF DIVINE OPERATIONS. 65 

rather, it is as a stream, which, being lost 
in a large river, follows the course of the 
river, communicating itself where the river 
communicates, watering where it waters, 
drawing into itself all the smaller rivers, 
which are destined alike to lose them- 
selves in the great ocean of Love. These 
streams have no independent life, but pro- 
ceed from, and flow back into their origin. 
Here is the consummation of souls in one- 
ness, as Jesus Christ has expressed it, — 
" One in us,^^ 

There is divine reality in this truth. 
Blessed are those who comprehend it ! 
How many walk side by side along these 
rivers, and yet never mingle their waters ! 
And many there are, also, who haste with 
eagerness, to precipitate themselves into 
this divine stream, and flow together, as 
the souls of the celestial ones, in the ful- 
ness of divine love. 

This is not a chimera of the fancy ; it is 
the wonderful economy of divinity. It is the 
6^ 



66 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 

end and object of the creation of the soul 
— the end and compass of all the efforts 
of God, regarding his creatures. Here is 
consummated all the glory, God derives 
from their existence. All beside are only 
the means approaching this final end, this 
glorious termination, and absorption of 
the soul in Deity. Here is the light which 
ravishes the soul. A light which does not 
precede, but follows the soul in its progress ; 
unfolding more and more, as a man in a 
dark cavern, discovers the concealed places, 
only when he has remained in it for some 
time. 

This is the pure Theology in which God 
instructs the angels and the saints. It is 
the Theology of Experience, that God 
teaches only to his children, who having 
abandoned their own wisdom, he has him 
self become their wisdom and their life. 
This is the law of wisdom, my friend, for 
us, — the way of the Lord in us. In him 
we are one. 



NO UNION WITH SELFISH SOULS. 67 



NO UNION WITH SELFISH SOULS. 

There are some souls which cause me 
great suffering. These are selfish souls, 
full of compromises, speculations and hu- 
man arrangements, and desiring others to 
accommodate themselves to their humors 
and inclinations. I find myself unable to 
administer in the least degree to their self- 
love ; and when I would be a little com- 
plaisant, a Master, more powerful than 
myself, restrains me. I cannot give such 
persons any other place in my heart, than 
God gives them. I cannot adapt myself 
to their superficial state, neither respond to 
their professions of friendship ; these are 
very repulsive to my feelings. 

The love which dwells in my heart, is 
not a natural love, but arises from a depth 
which rejects, what is not in correspondence 
with it, or rather what is not in unison 
with the heart of God. I cannot be with 



68 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 

a child without caressing it, nor with a 
child-like soul without a tender attach- 
ment. I do not regard the exterior, but 
the state of the soul ; its affinity and one- 
ness with God. The only perfect union, 
is the union of souls in God ; such as exists 
in heaven, and on earth after the resurrec- 
tion, life takes effect in the soul. 



NEVER YIELD TO DISCOURAGEMENT. 69 



NEVER YIELD TO DISCOURAGEMENT. 

Do not be disheartened, my friend, on 
account of your slow progress. A long 
martyrdom is sometimes necessary, in 
order to purify our souls from the con- 
cealed faults of self-love — faults interwoven 
in our nature, and strengthened by long 
indulgence. As you cannot control at 
once the agitations of nature, arm yourself 
with patience, to accomplish the task little 
by little ; not in the way of direct effort, 
but rather by ceasing from effort, remain- 
ing quiet, permitting neither gestures nor 
words to betray your feelings. 

Could we enter into the highest state of 
grace, as we enter into a room, it might be 
easily accomplished. But alas I the door 
is straight, and there are many deaths to 
pass ; in a word, death to self. ^ It is this 
long martyrdom, or dying of the old man 
of sin, which causes all the pains of the 



70 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 

interior life. It is rare to find persons, who \j/^ 
are willing to die entirely to self, and there- 
fore few reach the highest state of grace. 

Have good courage. It is a great work 
to draw a large ship from her moorings, 
but when she is in the waters, how easily 
she rolls ! What happiness, when by per- 
severance, you have triumphed over nature, 
to find yourself in the a'bundant waters of 
grace! I pray God to put his own hand 
to the work. He wiU. 

In Him, devotedly yours. 



WEAKNESS AND IMPERFECTIONS. 71 



WEAKNESS AND IMPERFECTION. 

I RECIPROCATE youi friendship, madam, 
with all my heart. Our divine Master 
knows how happy I am to serve you in 
any possible way. Oh I madam, \ it is V 
better to be feeble, when God leaves us 
in our weakness, than to have a strength 
which is our own. I once thought, that 
the pure soul was free from all faults, but 
I now see otherwise. God clothes his chil- 
dren with frailties, that they may be humble 
in their own eyes, and be concealed from 
the eyes of the world. The Tabernacle 
was covered with the skins of the beasts, 
while the Temple of Herod was ornamented 
with gold. Let us not afflict ourselves on 
account of our littleness and infirmities, 
since God so orders it, but become as little 
children. When a little child falls, it can- 
not raise itself, but lets another do for it all 
that it needs. 



"7~- 



A 



72 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 

It does not depend on ourselves to make 
the presence of God more or less sensible. 
Let the desire for a lively sense of this 
presence, be crucified to the w^ill of God. 
Tak6 what is given you. Be as the little 
child, who eats and sleeps and grows. 
God gives you the best nourishment, al- 
though not always the sweetest to the 
taste. Adieu I my heart sympathises with 
you. 



ADVANCEMENT. 73 



ADVANCEMENT. 

During the process of the soul's purifica- 
tion and advancement, it loses sight not 
only of itself, but of all things else, except 
God ; and even of the distinct apprehension 
of our Lord, in his humanity. That is, 
there are no longer distinct, bounded views 
and perceptions of Christ, the soul becom- 
ing identical with Christ. This is necessary 
in order to draw the soul into oneness with 
God. Let all go in the divine order. 
When the soul has returned to its end and 
origin, and is lost in God, it finds all it 
lost, without going out from God. 

When the soul is yet in itself, it draws 
all things to itself, and sees God and aii 
creatures in itself. But when the soul is 
in oneness with God, it carries all creatures 
with it in God, and sees nothing separate 
from God. Seeing all in God, it sees all 
things in the true light, as with the eye of 
7 



74 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 

God. This is what David calls, " Seeing 
light in thy light. " 

May God give you understanding of 
what I say, and docility and acquiescence 
in the truths, which he causes to penetrate 
your soul. I make no reserves, but express 
freely dil my thoughts. The least reserve 
for self, is as a strong breath against a 
mirror, it obstructs the view of God. My 
soul, it seems to me, is clear and trans- 
parent, reflecting only what the Master 
presents ; and the execution of his will 
rfenders the soul always increasingly pure 
and transparent. May God be all in all 
to vou 



GREATNESS OF SPIRITUAL POVERTY. 75 



GREATNESS OF SPIRITUAL POVERTY. 

Do not measure yourself by others, who 
may not be led as you are. God chooses 
to enrich some souls with brilliant gifts, 
but he has chosen you, stripped of all, in 
the depths of spiritual poverty. This is the 
perfect self-renouncement, without which, 
one cannot be the disciple of the Lord 
Jesus. All other states, however elevated 
they may be, are inferior to this pure, 
naked, state of the soul. It is a state, 
which despoils the lover of all he possesses 
in favor of his Beloved. It is a state in 
which the soul is shielded from all inroads 
of the enemy ; who can reach only what 
remains of self in the creature, and not 
what is enclosed in God. 

God has chosen you for himself alone. 
You are the sanctuary, which is open only 
to the high priest, in which is contained the 
ark of the covenant — the essential will of 



76 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 

God — the sacred place, encompassed by 
the clouds, where the glory of God appears. 
Oh! blessed poverty of spirit, in which 
state the soul is enriched with the best 
gifts a God can bestow ! 

Measure not your advancement by rela- 
tion to the road passed over, but by rapport 
to the end. There yet remains a great 
road to pass over, since God himself is the 
way. 

The more fully you enter into his 
designs, the more I love you. 



ASSISTANCE ONE TO ANOTHER 77 



ASSISTANCE RENDERED BY ONE SOUL TO 
ANOTHER. 

The interest I feel in your spiritual 
welfare, my dear F., is very great — so 
deeply absorbing, that I slept but little 
during the past night, presenting you in 
prayer before our Lord. I have an inward 
conviction, that God is enriching your 
heart by my humble instrumentality ; thus, 
while he elevates you on one side, he 
debases you on the other, by commu- 
nicating his gi'ace through so unworthy a 
channel as myself. The Spirit has revealed 
to me your state, when I have received no 
intelligence from you. God has thus or- 
dered it, for his own glory; and when 
many years hence, this method of God's 
operations will be better known — the 
assistance rendered by one soul to another, 
without the mediation of the body — the 
use he has made of this feeble instrument 
7^ 



78 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 

to communicate to you his grace, will serve 
to substantiate this divine truth and hea- 
venly mode of operation. 

There is therefore for you, a means of 
interior advancement, which no distance 
of place can interrupt. It will be only 
from lack of correspondence on your part, 
that it will be diverted. God desires it, at 
least for a time, until your soul is entirely 
in' union with himself. This method of 
communication is only a superior fountain 
discharging itself into another ; or, as two 
rivers bearing each other to the same sea. 

Receive then this poor heart in the ful- 
ness of Christ's love, and believe me, no 
one can be more fully united to you than 
I am. 



SIMPLICITY OF THE WORD. 79 



SIMPLICITY AND POWER OF THE WORD. 

You enquire, my friend, why I do not 
use obscure terms and extraordinary expres- 
sions, in explaining the Scriptures. My 
Lord teaches me, that while there are no 
writings so profound as the Gospels, there 
are none so simple. And further, that 
simplicity of soul gives simplicity cf 
expression. When we speak of a state 
beyond our experience, we do so with 
difficulty, and have recourse to learning to 
aid us, and use forced expressions. 

In the natural, simple expressions of 
Scripture, there are deep sentiments, 
adapted to the wants of each soul — to 
those less and more advanced. 

The word of God enters the centre of 
the soul ; it has a penetrating quality ; an 
operative efficiency. No words of man can 
produce the same effect ; at least, none but 
such as come from souls, who are pure 



80 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 

channels of the word of God. It is the 
good pleasure of our Lord, to express and 
reproduce himself upon the self-abandoned 
soul. Who does not admire the profound 
mystery of the creation of the world, where 
God produced all things by his word ? 
When God created man, he formed him 
of the dust of the earth — the lowest form 
of matter — made of dust, that he might 
not rob God of his glory! But man thus 
created, received the spirit — the breath of 
the Word. This dust of the earth became 
the living breath of God. When Jesus 
Christ is formed in the soul, he imparts not 
only a clear understanding of the word, 
but is himself the Word, reproduced in 
the soul. Those only in whom Christ 
dwells, fulfill the word, or have the word 
accomplished in them. Such only are able 
fully to interpret the word. It is not learn- 
ing which best explains the truths of God, 
but the reproduction of these truths in the 
life — the experience of them. 



FORGETFULNESS OF SELF. 81 



rORGETFULNESS OF SELF 

I CANNOT compliment you, dear sir, and 
I am persuaded, that you will expect from 
me, only the simplicity of the christian. 
This simplicity leads me to say, only what 
our Lord gives me.' You need more of 
this simplicity. The frequent self-returns 
you make, dwelling so much on your 
unworthiness, although it may have the 
appearance of humility, is only a refined 
self-love. True simplicity regards God 
alone ; it has its eye fixed upon him, and 
is not drawn towards self; and it is as 
pleased to say humble as great things. 

All our uneasy feelings and reflections, 
arise from self-love, whatever appearance 
of piety they may assume. The lack of 
simplicity inflicts many wounds. Go 
where we will, if we remain in ourselves, 
we shall carry everywhere our sins and our 
distresses. If we would live in peace, we 



82 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 

must lose sight of self, and rest in the 
infinite and unchangeable God. These 
self-returns have a tendency to establish 
the soul more and more in itself, and 
hinder it from running into its great 
original. But it is to this, God is calling 
you. You withhold from God the only 
thing he desires — the possession of your 
heart. The time is short ; wherefore spend 
it in the compass and surroundings of self ? 
The single eye sees only God. You act 
as a person who being called before a king, 
instead of regarding the king and his 
benefits, is occupied only with his own 
dress and appearance. God wishes to 
disarrange you — to destroy self; and you 
wish to preserve w^hat he would destroy. 
Be more afraid of self than of the evil one. 
It is the spirit of Satan to exalt self above 
God, and this spirit is fostered by these 
continual returns you make upon your 
own doings and misdoings, which leaves 
no place in your mind for the occupation 
of God. 



MEANS OF SANCTIFICATION. 83 



DIVERSITY OF MEANS OF SANCTIFICATION. 

Although there are impenetrable myste- 
ries in God's dealings with souls, in order to 
promote their sanctification, it is true that 
each soul, aside from the ordinary means, 
common to all, has a specific training, and 
this method of the divine order can alone 
accomplish the work. The means that 
sanctifies another may not sanctify you. 
You, my friend, will not be led by great 
crosses and severe sufferings, but in the 
way of helpless infancy. The child-like, 
yielding soul is necessary for you ; therefore 
God has chosen a child, myself, to be your 
helper. Forget yourself as the man to 
whom many eyes are turned, and become 
the little, helpless one, who cannot take care 
of itself, but lets another care for it. The 
pride, presumption and vanity, of the natu- 
ral man, must give place to the littleness 
and simplicity of the child. Says our 



84 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 

S?^viour, " Except ye be converted, and 
become as little children, ye cannot enter 
into the kingdom of heaven." O, when 
shall we learn that it is littleness, and not 
greatness, that God requires of his child ! 

God has given me a maternal yearning 
for your soul. I sympathize deeply in your 
wants and burdens. Be assured, the eyes 
of the God of Love are upon you. I en- 
treat you, yield to the influences which are 
in operation to restore your soul to God, 
I can offer no apology for my letter ; for 
in all things, I obey my Lord. 



COMFORT IN AFFLICTION. 85 



COMFORT IN AFFLICTION. 

I ASSURE you, Dear Sir, I sympathize 
deeply in your afflictions. With all my 
heart I present you before our Lord. I 
have prayed, and still pray, that if you are 
called to participate in the sufferings of 
Jesus Christ, you may partake also of his 
patience and submission. You will find 
the Lord at all times near your heart, when 
you seek him by a simple and sincere 
desire to do and suffer his will. He will 
be your support and consolation in this 
time of trouble, if you go to him, not with 
fear and agitation of spirit, but with calm, 
confiding love. 

Jesus said to the blind man, whose eyes 
he anointed with clay, " Go wash in the 
waters of Siloam'' — waters soft and tran- 
quil. O, that you might experience the 
abiding peace which Christ gives. O, that 
you might become reduced to the simplicity 
8 



86 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 

of the little child ! It is the child who ap- 
proaches the nearest to Jesus Christ. It is 
the child whom he takes in his arms and 
carries in his bosom. O, how lovely, how 
attractive, is child-like simplicity! May 
the sufferings you are now experiencing, 
render you, child-like and submissive to all 
the will of your Father. My ill health for- 
bids my writing more fully. God loves 
you, and you are very dear to me in him. 
Amen. Jesus, help. 



BEARING FRUIT WITH CHRIST. 87 



BEARING FRUIT IN UNION WITH CHRIST. 

God has united my soul to yours in the 
oneness of his own nature, and when all 
the obstructions on your part are removed, 
you will realize this same divine union. 
" We have many masters, as said St. Paul, 
but only one Father in ChrisV^ This Fa- 
ther unites himself to us by the impartation 
of his own nature, and from this commu- 
nication, of himself to the soul, proceeds 
our spiritual paternity ; or the power by 
which we communicate to others what we 
receive from him. We are not always 
sensible how this power, or aid we render 
others, is imparted. In some individuals it 
is more manifest than in others. It always 
adapts itself to the subject ^ho receives it. 
All the gifts and graces of the spirit are 
either more sensible and apparent, or more 
spiritual and inward, according to the 
power of receptivity in the individual. 



88 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 

It seems to me that when I am with 
you, there is only a simple, imperceptible 
transmission from my soul to yours. You 
do not perceive any marked results, and 
they are not great, because you are not in 
a state to receive much, and often inter- 
rupt me by speaking, which causes in me 
a vacillation of grace. Tf we were to- 
gether some considerable time without 
distraction, you would perceive more 
marked results. It is the desire of God 
that there should be, between us, perfect 
interchange of thoughts, of hearts, of souls ; 
— a flux and reflux, such as there will be 
when souls are new-created in Christ Jesus. 
At present, my soul in relation to yours, is 
as a river which enters into the sea, to 
draw and invite the smaller river to lose 
itself also in the sea. 

This truth, — the fruitfulness of souls who 
are in God, whereby they communicate 
grace, — however much it is rejected, is, 
nevertheless, a truth. This flux and reflux 



BEARING FRUIT WITH CHRIST. 89 

of communication, like the ebbing and 
flowing of the great ocean-current, is the 
secret of the heavenly hierarchy, and makes 
a communication from superior orders to 
inferior, — and of equality, between angels 
of the same order. 

During all eternity, the communication 
of God the Father, and the Son, to angels 
and saints, and their reciprocal communi- 
cation to each other, will be a well-spring 
of blessedness. The design of God, in the 
creation of men, has been to associate to 
himself living beings, to whom he could 
communicate himself. He could create 
nothing greater than likenesses of himself. 
All the splendor of angels and saints, is but 
light reflected from God. 

God could not see himseil reflected in 
saints, without their participating of these 
two qualities, fruitfulness and reciprocal 
communication. In this life all perfection 
consists, in that which makes the consum- 
mation of this same perfection in heaven 
8* 



90 LETTERS OP MADAM GUYON. 

No one nan be perfect, if he is not perfect 
as the Father in heaven is perfect; that 
is, partaking of his nature. 

Jesus Christ is the Father of souls ; his 
generation, or the souls that are begotten 
of him, are eternal in their nature as he is. 
The figure, " giving us his flesh to eat," is 
the nourishment he gives the soul in com- 
munication with himself; or himself repro- 
duced, or begotten in us. The eternal 
Word is the essential, undying life of the 
soul. 



DESOLATE STATE. 91 



DESOLATE STATE. 

Believe me, dear madam, I take a deep 
interest in your spiritual welfare, and J 
earnestly hope your confidence in God 
will not fail, on account of your present 
desolate state. As the winter plunges 
still deeper the roots of the trees in the 
earth, so the wintry state of the sou. 
plunges it deeper in humiliation. Remem- 
ber the confidence of Job, " Although he 
slay me, I will trust in him. " Although 
stripped of all consolation, and left in the 
desolation of nothingness, you may yet 
rejoice in God — out of, and separate 
from, self. Let the earth be stripped of 
her foliage; let neither flowers nor fruit 
appear ; yet God is^ therefore you may be 
happy. The mother loves to sacrifice her- 
self for her child, and finds her life in what 
affords it happiness; thus die to self, in 
relation to God. 

When your weaknesses rise up before 



92 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 

you, when you would weep over some 
error in judgment, or some unguarded 
expression, do as the little child, who 
having fallen into the mud, carries its 
hands to its mother, who cheerfully wipes 
them, and consoles him after the fall. Can 
you not believe God loves you, as much 
as you love the little one enfolded in your 
arms ? Does he not say, " A mother may 
forget, yet I will never forget thee I " 

The discovery of your weakness and 
emptiness, is an evidence of God's love ; 
and while it is ground for humiliation, it 
is also of thanksgiving. When it pleases 
God to fill this void with his grace, it is 
cause of thankfulness ; but if we realized 
at all times this fullness, we should be in 
danger of appropriating the grace of God 
to ourselves. Thus, our times of desolation 
are necessary, and we should accept them 
joyfully, as a portion of the bread our 
father gives us. 

Yours in tender sympathy. 



SELF-ABANDONMENT. 93 



SELF-ABANDONMENT. 

The death of self is not accomplished 
at once. It is for some time a living 
death. Its opposite, spiritual life, is repre- 
sented by EzekiePs vision of the dry bones. 
First, the bones were rejoined; afterwards 
covered with sinews ; then the flesh ap- 
peared ; and finally, the spirit of the Lord 
animated them. When the soul begins to 
incline towards God, it finds many ob- 
structions; but in proportion as we yield 
to the will of God, these obstructions are 
removed. The following simile will help 
to illustrate my idea. The rivers empty 
themselves into the sea, before they lose 
themselves there. Wave by wave follow- 
ing its course, seems to urge onward the 
river, to lose itself in the sea. God imparts 
to the soul some waves of pure love, to 
urge on the soul to himself; but as the 
river does not lose itself in the sea, until 



94 LETTERS OF MADAME GUYON. 

its own waters are exhausted, so the soui 
reaches God, and loses itself in God, only 
when the means of supply from self are at 
an end. As the waves, which are precip- 
itated into the sea, roll many times before 
they are lost in the sea, so the soul under- 
goes many changes, before it is received 
into God. 

The results of self-crucifixion are happy, 
because God then becomes all to the soul. 
We lose self, and substitute God in its 
place. We take away the finite, and 
receive the Infinite. This is blessed. 



NO DEPENDENCE ON INSTRUMENTS. 95 



NO DEPENDENCE ON INSTRUMENTS. 

What shall I say regarding the state in 
which you find yourself, in relation to me ? 
I have no movement either to promote our 
re-union, or hinder it. Let God direct. Are 
you leaning upon him, or upon the crea- 
ture? If on the creature, it is a bruised 
reed, which will fail you. God sometimes 
makes use of instruments, whom he finds 
it necessary afterwards to reject. If he 
designs to remove me from you, can I have 
any wish to retain you ? God forbid. He 
may design this separation, to make you 
die to any confidence in the creature. He 
may no longer design to use me for your 
benefit. I might have mingled my own 
impurity, with his pure light flowing 
through me. If God permit me to err, it 
is on account of my pride. I have never 
given you any assurance of my infallibility. 
What am I but an erring creature ? Leave 



96 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 

me, leave me, and unite yourself only to 
God, who will never mislead you. Means 
are good, only in the order of God. They 
injure us, if we rest in them. If God 
remove me from you, acquiesce in his will, 
with a devotion worthy of a child of God. 
Be humble, and courageous enough to own 
your fault, in leaning on an arm of flesh. 
Men of the world may be obstinate, but 
the child of God should be supple. What- 
ever separation there may be between us, 
believe me, you will always be dear to me 
in our dear Lord. I hope, when you are 
lost in him, you will find this little drop 
of water, (myself) in the same great ocean 
of love. 



CHILD OF GOD SOON TO DIE. 97 



CHILD OF GOD SOON TO DIE. 

I HAVE had a presentiment that you 
would not survive this illness. I lose in 
you the most faithful, and the only friend 
on whom I could rely, in the persecutions 
which threaten me. I feel my loss, but 
rejoice in your happiness. I could envy 
you. Death only lends a helping hand to 
rend away the veil, which hides infinite 
beauties. Our Lord has strongly cemented 
our souls. May the benediction of the 
divine Master rest upon you. Go, blessed 
soul, and receive the recompense prepared 
for all those, who are wholly the Lord's. 
Go, we separate in the name of the Lord ; 
I cannot say a last adieu, for we shall be 
forever united in him. I hope, in the good- 
ness of God, to be present with you in 
hea^; and spirit, at the time of your 
9 



98 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 

departure, and to receive with you, the 
divine Master who is waiting for you. Be 
my ambassador in the courts above, and 
say to him I love him. 



UNION OF SOULS IN GOD. 99 



UNION OF SOULS IN GOD. 

The assurance you give me of the union 
of your soul with mine, is a great consola- 
tion. It is a union to which my heart 
fully responds, not in a way of emotional 
transport, but in the depths of peace ; there 
is nothing of nature in it. It is a union 
in Jesus Christ. We are one in a sense 
of our lost condition, and one in self- 
abandonment. Oh ! blessed oneness with 
Christ, where all evils perish; and there 
remains only the casualities inseparable 
from the state of humanity. How won- 
derful is this operation — the sacred min- 
gling of a poor creature with its God, 
where all the evils of our fallen nature, 
are removed from the depths of the soul, 
and the soul, in its elemental being is lost 
in its original! There all the little ones 
are united in Him, — these little drops of 
water reassembled in the divine ocean ! 



100 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 

How swiftly do the streams embrace each 
other, and flow into one channel, when 
the obstructions are removed I When 
souls become pure in Jesus Christ, they 
flow into one another with the same 
rapidity. Purity of soul consists in an 
entire separation from self, and re-union 
with God. The soul can return to self; 
it has the power, and therefore is not 
infallible. 

Our union, my dear friend, is indepen- 
dent of the relish or disrelish of all created 
things and events. You could not be 
separated from me without being separated 
from God ; for it seems to me, that I am 
one with him, and inseparable, and you 
are the same ; and thus, we are one in 
Him, and one with each other. 

Ever yours, in the heart of Jesus, 



SECRET OPERATIONS OF GRACE. 101 



SECEET OPERATIONS OF GRACE. 

My heart has been tenderly united to 
you, during all my bodily sufferings. In 
proportion as the outward man has been 
reduced, God seems to be more the life 
of my soul. Although the operations of 
God upon your soul may be less marked 
than formerly, they are no less real. There 
is a secret fire in your heart, which burns 
continually, although imperceptibly. This 
keen and continual operation enfeebles 
you, because it consumes so rapidly the 
more sensible and marked operations of the 
soul. This is, I apprehend, your ordinary 
state ; with occasionally the unction of the 
oil of grace poured upon the concealed fire, 
to give you a sweet and clear manifestation 
of the loving presence of God. 

You bear two marked results of the 
divine presence — interior recollection, and 
a continual amen in your heart ; a true and 
9^ 



102 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 

just response to all God's dealings with 
your soul. 

I realise a very close union with you. 
This union is not in the emotions, and not 
in the will of man, but in the will of God. 
It is a union, from which I could no more 
separate myself, than from God; it is 
a fulfillment of the prayer of our Lord, 
*^ that they may be one, as we are one." 
It is a union which death cannot interrupt, 
but will substantiate more and more fully 
in God. 

Ever yours, in our Lord. 



TO A YOUNG FRIEND. 103 



TO A YOUNG FRIEND. 

You are very dear to me, my child. Do 
not think I ha¥e forgotten you. God alone 
can render you happy. Give yourself 
wholly to him, never more to take yourself 
back. Love him with all your heart. 
Retire often within the closet of your 
heart to commune with God. Do not 
pray to him in a constrained and formal 
manner, but all simple and natural. God 
loves better the affectionate language of 
the heart, than the cold and discursive 
thoughts of the intellect. The prayer of 
love softens the heart. 

Do not shrink from your ordinary duties. 
We are often more united to God, in our 
daily avocations, than in retirement. The 
reason is, our good Father holds us more 
closely, when we are most exposed to 
temptations. Endeavor to maintain, at all 
times, harmony and oneness with God. 



104 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 

You have only to abandon yourself wholly 
to divine love, and perform all the duties 
that devolve upon you. Do not be restive, 
and thus mar God's beautiful design and 
operation upon your soul* Place in his 
bosom of rest, all your inquietudes, and 
allow him to carry you, as a little child is 
borne by its mother. This little one has 
only to regard, lovingly, the smiles of its 
tender mother. 

God will give you a wise discernment 
as to food and drink, and all the pleasures 
of life. He calls us to a temperate life, 
but not to a life too austere. We should 
avoid the too much and the too little in 
eating and drinking. 

I pray our divine Lord, to enlighten,^ 
strengthen and comfort your heart. 



LETTER TO HER SPIRITUAL GUIDE. 105 



-FINAL LETTER TO HER SPIRITUAL GUIDE. 

The state in which I find myself, my 
Father, takes away from me entirely, the 
liberty to address you any longer as my 
Spiritual Guide. I realize so great a 
detachment from all things, that there 
remains in me only a triumphant, dominant 
love, which acknowledges no master but 
Love. It is my experience, that the closer 
the union of the soul with God, the more 
it is separated from all dependence on the 
creature. I find also, that the secret opera- 
tions of divine love upon the soul, cannot 
be expressed. These operations do not 
consist in sweet and flattering expressions, 
neither in consolations, in the ordinary 
way, but in the discovery of mysterious 
truths ; truths, which give so profound a 
knowledge of God, that the soul can find 
no language to give expression to these 
views. 



106 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 

To speak, and to act, is the same thing 
with God. " He spake, and it was done. " 
When the divine Word operates in the 
soul, without any obstruction, the soul 
becomes what this Word wills it should 
become. When Mary Magdalene was 
made whole, it was no more Mary Mag- 
dalene, but Jesus Christ, who lived in her. 
St. Paul says, " I live, yet not I, Christ 
liveth in me." In the same manner, the 
Word is incorporated into my soul. 

Some time since, there was given me a 
view of the States of Mary, the mother of 
our Lord. I was alone in my chamber, 
and my soul was completely filled with 
divine love. The divine Word seemed to 
say within me, " I will show thee the chief 
work of my hands, — a perfect nothing in 
itself, — the heart of Mary. " In this man- 
ner was conveyed to me, the inexpressible 
love of God for men — his operation in pure 
souls. It was shown me, that her silence 
and acquiescence in the wiU of God ; her 



LETTER TO HER SPIRITUAL GUIDE. 107 

entire self-crucifixion and hidden life were 
worthy of imitation ; and that this same 
love which had operated so powerfully 
upon this soul, emptied of self, desired to 
draw other souls also to her states, and 
to make an effusion of the same grace and 
love in them, as in her. O divine love ! 
how great are thy wonders, how marvellous 
thy operations on human hearts ! My soul 
is lost in the depths of thy secret wonders ! 
Silence, silence — only silence ! 

I write to you, my Father, for thor last 
time, to bid you a final adieu. I can no 
longer listen to any other teachings, than 
this divine Word of eternal Truth, which 
is spoken in the depths of my heart. But 
however far separated from you, in the 
relation of Director, you are very near and 
dear in the affections of my heart ; in that 
pure love, which is alone the operation of 
our Lord Jesus Christ. 



108 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 



GLORY OF GOD THE ONE DESIRE. 

What have we to desire in heaven and 
on earth, only the glory of God ? But it is 
necessary to desire the glory of God as he 
desires it. He who has absolute power 
over the heart of man, has a plan of opera- 
tions ; he does all things in their time ; he 
waits until the hour is come. In coming 
into the world, our Lord could have convert- 
ed the world at once, and destroyed all its 
vices ; but the economy of his wisdom did 
not so direct. When I hear our Lord say, 
" Mine hour is not yet come^^^ and wishing 
neither to advance nor retard, for a moment, 
the hour that his Father had appointed, I 
am plunged into my nothingness. We are 
only instruments in his hands, which he 
may lay aside, or use according to his good 
pleasure. We should be so dead to self, as 
to be indifferent, whether he makes use of 
us or not. 



GLORY OF GOD THE ONE DESIRE. 109 

Remain, therefore, my dear friend, in the 
hand of God. Let him accomplish in you, 
and by you, all his good pleasure, whether 
to cast down, or build up. God knows 
how much I love you. 
10 



110 LETTERS OF JV^ADAM GUYON. 



SPIRITUAL UNION AND AID. 

Spiritual union, is a state of the soul 
very clear in my perception, although I 
may not be able to give you a definite 
impression of this state. In order to benefit 
you, it became necessary for me to enter 
into your state, to have an experimental 
knowledge, an endurance and suffering of 
the same state. By this experience I have 
been brought into closer relation to God, 
partaking more fully of the Christ-like na- 
ture by being rendered capable of bearing 
the infirmities of others. And I have had, 
also, a clearer idea of that quality of God, 
whereby he multiplies holy souls, by the 
communication of himself. In this expe- 
rience, the soul appears to be in God, and 
God in her, as first cause, drawing and 
penetrating the soul nearest to himself, and 
by penetration, in this soul, drawing, 
through her instrumentality, many other 
souls. 



SPIRITUAL UNION AND AID. Ill 

Although by these powerful rays the 
soul itself may seem to penetrate and draw 
other souls, yet it is God who draws them 
by his efficiency; and he communicates 
this efficiency, most powerfully, to those in 
closest contact with himself. So pure and 
transparent is this soul, that there seems to 
be no space between the first Mover and 
the souls moved by the agent or instrumen- 
tality. There is a difference between the 
ray and the body of the sun, although it is 
difficult to separate the ray from the sun. 
It is the divine ray, which is transmitted 
through this soul, as the natural ray through 
the medium of the atmosphere. These 
same rays, transmitted through many souls, 
and from soul to soul, unite them in one 
common centre, and thus the bond of filia- 
tion is complete in God. I ma^ not ex- 
press myself so as to be understood. May 
your light supply, what is wanting in clear- 
ness of expression 



112 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 



LIVE m THE PRESENT. 

Do not expect, my dear E., that the will 
of God will be made apparent to you in 
any extraordinary way. The most remark- 
able events occur naturally. It was by an 
order of the Emperor, that Joseph, being 
of the house and lineage of David, went to 
be taxed at Bethlehem, where the holy 
child Jesus was born. The fountain of 
water was near to Hagar, when she laid 
down the child to die mth thirst. Behold 
God, my friend, in the present arrangement 
of his providence for you, and submit 
wisely to passing events. He sees the end 
from the beginning, and plans wisely for 
his children. O, how good to submit our 
limited view to his far sight, reaching 
through time and eternity ! 

Remember, the present moment comes 
to you as the moment of God. Use it for 
his glory, and every succeeding moment 



LIVE IN THE PRESENT. 113 

Thus the present becomes the eternal mo- 
ment, for which we must render account 
to God. May God be All in All to us 
[n every passing moment, now and forever. 
10^ 



114 LETTERS oF MADAM GUYON. 



HOW TO ADMINISTER REPROOF. 

A SINGLE word, spoken in the spirit of 
Christ, with humility and sweetness, will 
have more weight, in correcting others, 
than many words uttered in our own spirit. 
The reason is this : when passion mingles 
with correction, although the truth may be 
spoken, Jesus Christ does not cooperate 
with us. Therefore, the person is jiot cor- 
rected by what we say, but, being opposed 
to the manner of correction, is more con- 
firmed in the evil. In proportion as Jesus 
Christ speaks by us, without us, or without 
the minglings of self, his word is effica- 
cious, and turns the heart of the person to 
whom we speak, to receive what we say. 
I know there are some who resist, know- 
ingly, his word, but our passionate zeal 
does not correct them. 

It is important to wait the moment of 
God to correct others. We may see real 



HOW TO ADMINISTER REPROOF. 115 

faults, but the person may not be in a state 
to profit by being told their faults. It is 
not wise to give more than one can receive. 
This is what I call preceding the light,, — 
the light shines so far in advance of the 
person, that it does not benefit him. Our 
Lord said to his apostles, " I have many 
things' to say to you, but you cannot bear 
them now." 

The prophet says, the Lord carries his 
children in his arms, as a nurse. A nurse 
could wish that the child could walk alone, 
but she waits in patience the time. Let 
us do the same, and never discourage the 
weak. Let us not destroy the good grain 
with the tares. Who does not admire * the 
long suffering patience of God ? " And I 
may add to St. Paul's words, all unworthy 
as I am, and of those who admire it, how 
few imitate it ! If those to whom God has 
given so much grace, have so many faults 
themselves, with how much patience should 
they bear with those who are less favored. 



116 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 

t 



BEARING THE STATES OF CHRIST. 

During my late severe illness, a strong 
impression rested on my mind, that I was 
called to participate in the last sufferings 
of Jesus Christ. The language of my 
heart was, 1 am ready, O, Father, to suffer 
all thy will I In thus yielding my heart, as 
Abraham when called to sacrifice his be- 
loved Isaac, I realized a new bond of alli- 
ance with Christ ; and these words, " I wiU 
betroth thee unto me forever," was the 
voice of the Bridegroom to my soul. 

When Paul said, '' I bear in my body 
the marks of the Lord Jesus," he did not 
refer to any external marks in the flesh, but 
to bearing the states of Jesus Christ. In 
David are expressed all the states of Christ, 
with the difference only there is between 
the type and the original. Job was an 
eminent instance of being reduced to noth- 
ingness, and also of exaltation by the favor 



BEARING THE STATES OF CHRIST. 117 

of God. Those who pass through the 
furnace, and suffer with Christ, are pre- 
pared to wear the white robe, which adorns 
the bride, the Lamb's wife. Their souls 
become the dwelling-place of the Most 
High. 

Are not those beautiful subterranean 
palaces, which we read of in fable, and 
which are reached after crossing deep cav' 
erns, and so hidden that none can find 
them, only those to whom the secret is 
revealed, representative of the interior pal- 
ace of the soul, where the Lord inhabits; 
" The king's daughter is all glorious with- 



118 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 



OUR IMPERFECTIONS SHOULD NOT HINDER 
OUR LABORS FOR OTHERS. 

Although I am so weak and unworthy 
in myself, God uses me for the good of 
others. The many defects of our tempera- 
rnent, should not hinder our labors in behalf 
of others. These faults have nothing to do 
with the grace, which operates effectively 
on the souls for whom we labor. God 
reveals himself, through the fathers and 
mothers in Israel, and thus increases confi- 
dence in them ; while, at the same time, 
their weaknesses forbid placing too much 
dependence on them. 

Although our Lord acquaints us with 
his designs regarding others, and the aid 
we may render them, yet this should not 
give us the least desire to aid them, only 
in the order of his providence. Neither 
should we be arrested in his work, although 
the souls we aid repulse the effort. God 
will make good the results in due time. 



LABORS FOR OTHERS. 119 

It implies great death to self, never to put 
our hand selfishly to the work of the Lord, 
as it does, also, never to go a step out of 
the path in which he leads us. When we 
mingle self, we retard, rather than advance, 
his work. Nature is so corrupt that it 
deeply infests spiritual things, and so subtle 
as to conceal itself under all artifices. 

I do not know why I have written you 
thus. God knows, and that is sufficient 



120 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 



DEATH, RESUEEECTION. 

This is no time to be disheartened. 
When the sinful lusts rebel, leave them 
to their disorderly cravings. Let them 
cry, as a child from whom we take away 
a dangerous yet pleasing toy. Strengthen 
yourself for crosses and humiliations. You 
will soon be made alive in Jesus Christ. 

The extraordinary peace you have tasted, 
is the oommmencement of the resurrec- 
tion-life. This peace is not invariable, be- 
cause th e new life is given little by little, 
yet, I assure you, it will soon fill your 
whole soul. As God has rapidly advanced 
inward death, and caused you to run, with 
a giant step, in the way of self-crucifixion, 
and this, notwithstanding all the opposi- 
tions of the carnal man, he will also thus 
rapidly advance the resurrection. 

The loss, of all things of the earthly life, 
which follows the recuscitated life, will be 



DEATH, RESURRECTION. 121 

deep and extended. The death and burial 
which precede the resurrection, cannot com- 
pare with that total loss, which follows the 
resuscitated life. This is something differ- 
ent, and in a new state. You will arise 
from the sepulchre, as the Spouse of the 
Beloved. 

All is consumed in myself, not in the 
ordinary way, but in a total loss ; so that 
there remains nothing which can be named 
or known. It seems to me, the death of 
self is carried almost to infinity, it makes so 
many unknown steps. Since this morning, 
this unworthy creature experiences a still 
greater reduction of self than ever before. 
Die, live ; lose yourself, and find yourself 
again ; then you will have experience of 

this state. 

11 



122 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 



GRACE DEEPLY INTERIOR. 

While you perceive nothing sensible, or 
apparent, in your religious state, there is, 
at the same time, e^ddence to others of a 
hidden spring of life within your soul. 
God does not give you the sweet rain 
which, falling, clothes all the surface of the 
soul with verdure, but he gives you the 
deep well-spring, by which means you 
live and flourish, and produce, not herbs 
and flowers, which are born and die in the 
same day, but -substantial fruits, ripening 
for eternity. David said, the life of man 
upon the earth is as grass, which groweth 
up in the morning, and withers in the even- 
ing. This refers to the natural life, but it 
is also true of the selfish life of man. It 
flourishes in the morning of the spiritual 
life, but no sooner does the sun of right- 
eousness arise in his warmth, than this life 
withers and is cut down. The righteous 



GRACE DEEPLY INTERIOR. 123 

are as a tree planted by the rivers of water, 
whose leaf i3 always green. This is be- 
cause the roots are well watered by the 
deep-flowing current. 

God never ceases to operate in your 
heart. The calm, resigned state of your 
soul is proof of this. 

Take good care of your health. Do not 
labor beyond your strength. God will 
abundantly reward you for your labors of 
love in behalf of others. These are labors 
he never fails to recompense. I pray God, 
my dear F., to preserve you for his work. 
I have many things to say, but I forbear. 
Your time is precious. 



121 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 



SELF-RENUNCIATION. 

God designs you, my friend, for himself 
but he will lead you by a way, entirely 
opposed to what you have marked out. 
He does this in order to destroy your self- 
love. This is accomplished only by the 
overthrow of all your purposes, precon- 
ceived views, natural reason and sagacity. 
Self-love has many hiding-places. God 
alone can search them out. You seek the 
honor that cometh from man, and love to 
occupy a high position. God wishes to 
reduce you to littleness, and poverty of 
spirit. Believe me, dear sir, you will grow 
in grace, not by knowledge acquired from 
books ; not from reasonings upon divine 
truths, but by an efflux from God. This 
efflux will reach and fill your soul, in pro- 
portion as you are emptied of self. You 
are so much occupied of yourself in speak- 
ing, reading and writing, that you give no 



SELF-RENUNCIATION. 125 

place to God. Make room, and God will 
come in. 

You speak of your many cares. If you 
will give yourself wholly to God, these 
cares will be greatly diminished. God 
will think for you, and arrange by his Prov- 
idence, what you cannot effect by long 
years of planning. In the name of God, 
I entreat you to renounce your own wis- 
dom, your self-leadings, and yield up your- 
self to God. Let Him become your wis- 
dom. You will then find the place of rest, 
you so much need. 

May you read this letter, with depend- 
ence on the Spirit, which has dictated it, 
and without regard to the instrument, and 
your heart will testify to the truth of what 
I have written. Take courage, and be 
persuaded that if God destroys the natural 
life, it is only to give you himself. En- 
deavor to be nothing, that God may be 
all. When void, God himself fills the 
space. 

11* 



126 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 



UNEXPECTED FAULTS. 

Yesterday, after I left the parlor, I 
uttered some words hastily, and suffered 
very much in consequence ; a suffering 
not like the pangs of penitence I formerly 
experienced, but more subtle and interior ; 
and the soul was more acquiescent. 
Whether it was the words I uttered too 
precipitately, or the reflections that fol- 
lowed, which caused this suffering, I could 
not determine. A part of myself seemed 
to be thrown out of God, as we see the 
ocean reject certain things, which it receives 
again more deeply into its bosom. Thus 
I seemed to myself to be rejected, and 
without any power to make the least move- 
ment to return, and without even a regret 
that I was rejected. I was willing to 
remain where God placed me, until the 
moment he received me again to himself. 
K I should afflict myself on account of this 



UNEXPECTED FAULTS. 127 

experience, which was new and unexpected, 
I believe it would be wrong, and sully still 
more the soul. The depths of my soul 
remain unchanged — fixed in God. He 
removes the impurity, that has exteriorly 
sullied it, and holds the soul still his own. 



128 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 



APOSTOLIC STATE. 

I HAVE read your letter, my dear F., with 
great pleasure. The true Apostolic state 
is to become all things to all men ; that is, 
to impart to each one spiritually, according 
to his necessities. Only those who are 
reduced to littleness and simplicity, have 
this power of communicating grace. They 
have also the ability to sympathise deeply 
in the states of others ; of bearing in some 
measure their burdens, and are sometimes 
in great heaviness on their account. This 
communication of grace and aid, is not 
necessarily restricted to the personal pres- 
ence of the individual. We may be " absent 
in body, yet present in spirit," after the 
manner of God's operations; and as the 
angelic powers communicate to us. It is 
only by the enlightening of God's Spirit, 
that we realise the state of those to whom 
we are spiritually united. 



APOSTOLIC STATE. 129 

Unity of souls is experienced, not only 
with those in the body, who have affinity 
with ourselves, but also with those out of 
the body. I realise with the holy prophet 
David, a correspondence and unity, which 
renders our souls one in God. You will 
experience this unity with the saints more 
fully, when all perception of self is taken 
away. St. Paul says, " Ye are come to an 
innumerable company of angels — to the 
spirits of just men made perfecf^^ David 
was in the Old Testament, what Paul was 
in the New. They were both deeply 
interior Christians. The Apostles, after 
having received the Holy Ghost, spake all 
languages. This has also a spiritual 
meaning. They communicated grace, ac- 
cording to the necessities of each one. 
This is speaking the word — the efficacious 
word, which replenishes the soul. This 
nourishing, life-giving word is represented 
by the manna, and the reality is found in 
the Lord Jesus Christ, who is himself the 
bread of life in the soul. Amen, Jesus ! 



130 LETTERS OF MADAME GUYON. 



PAINFUL EXPERIENCE. 

To-day my health is better, and I find 
myself able to reply to your letter. Let 
the view of yourself that God gives you 
be accepted; whether it relates to your 
fallen condition in general, or to particular 
faults ; but add nothing to this view by 
your own reflections. These continual 
reflex acts of the mind do not help you ; 
they do not remove the faults. I am not 
surprised that you find in yourself so many 
evils, evils which render you almost insup- 
portable to yourself. When God' accom- 
plishes the work of purification, he removes 
all that is opposed to the divine inflowing 
life. 

These evils of your nature, which are 
now apparent, and which were deeply con- 
cealed, are perceived by you only because 
they are passing out from their hiding- 
places. All persons do not have so deep 
a knowledge of themselves ; therefore do 



PAINFUL EXPERIENCE. 131 

not suffer so much, because all are not 
destined to so profound a death and burial 
while in the body. Be silent, and drink the 
bitter cup. These humiliations will endure 
until your state is in some degree, perfected ; 
after which they will become more and 
more slight, and only at intervals, until 
the death and burial is consummated. 



132, LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 



ECSTACY OF THE MIND, AND THE WILL 
OR HEART. — THE DIFEERENCE. 

The intellectual part of man can be in 
some degree united to God ; but the soul 
loses itself in God, only by the loss of the 
will and by love. This loss of the will is 
the true ecstasy, which is a permanent 
state, and is effected without any violence 
to nature. When love is the controlling 
exercise, the will follows, and the soul 
is reduced to unity ; as in the natural 
exercise of love, the stronger the love, the 
greater the submission of the soul to the 
object beloved. Sacred love does not bind 
the soul to a resignation, in some of its 
parts, but draws it fully, until it is absorbed 
wholly in this divine oneness. 

The mind may tend towards its divine 
object, with ardor, but the will not con- 
curring, causes dissonance and swooning, or 
impetuous transports. I call this moment- 



THE MIND AND WILL. 133 

ary ecstasy ; it cannot long endure without 
separating the soul from the body. 

The difference between these two states 
is, as that of water, retained in the air by 
a machine, and of a river, running naturally 
into the sea, as ordered by the grand Archi- 
tect of the universe. Love, which carries 
the will in its train, changes the whole 
man; this is the divine, the true ecstasy. 
This is what is called transformation, and 
loss of the soul in God. It is certain, 
however, that the creature always remains 
a being distinct from God. 
12 



134 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 



A VIEW OF SELF. 

The activity of the natural selfish life, is 
the greatest obstacle to your progress. Al- 
low of nothing which gives sustenance to 
this life. Be on your guard against ap- 
plause. Applaud not yourself when you 
have done well. Admit no reflections in 
regard to the good you have accomplished, 
so that all that nourishes gelf-complacency 
may die. 

Possess your soul in peace as much as 
possible ; not by effort, but by ceasing from 
effort ; by letting go everything that trou- 
bles you. Be quiet, that you may settle, 
as we leave water to settle when agitated. 
When you discover your errors and sins, 
do not stop, under whatever good pretext, 
to remedy them. Rather abandon yourself 
at once to God, that he may destroy, in 
you, all that is displeasing to him. I 
assure you, you are not capable of your- 



A VIEW OF SELF. 135 

self, to correct the least fault. Your only 
remedy is abandonment to God, and re- 
maining quiet in his hands. If you dis- 
covered the depth of inward corruption in 
your heart, your courage would fail ! On 
this account, God conceals from us, in 
part, the view of our sins, and discovers 
them to us, only as he destroys them. 

Rest assured, God loves you. He will 
take care of you. Have faith in his love 
and mercy. You will see farther by and 
by. When you are in trouble, do not fail 
to write me. Have good courage, and all 
will be well. You are very dear to me in 
our Lord. 



136 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 



STATE OF A SOUL IN UNION WITH GOD. 

Although, in the latter part of my life, 
I do not perceive those marked states of 
abandonment and submission, neither of 
interior sorrows, such as I formerly expe- 
rienced, this does not prove that these dis- 
tinct states no longer exist; but the soul 
having become more fully established in 
God, it makes less account of them, or is 
less affected by external impressions. As 
pure flowing v/ater leaves no trace where 
it passes, so these distinct states leave no 
durable impression. The soul seems to 
have lost its own qualities of resistance 
and aversion, and runs, without ceasing 
into its Original. It is on this account I 
cannot write so fully of my states of mind 
as formerly. My soul, in its depths, rests 
in God. " My peacCj says Christ, / give 
unto you.^^ 

1 pray for the church ; I mourn at time 



STATE OF A SOUL WITH GOD. 137 

that God is so little known and loved ; but 
these feelings are transient, and the soul is 
ready to take any impression that God 
gives it. While it seems to have no con- 
sistency of its own, so to speak, it adapts 
itself to the state of others with wonderful 
facility. Sometimes even relating amusing 
stories, to children, and to those who can- 
not be entertained in any other way. 

The soul, in this state of union with 
God, is sometimes permitted to foretell 
things to come, which appear very obscure 
to man, but which are, nevertheless, infalli- 
bly true, because proceeding from God. 
The knowledge of the event, and its fuU 
explanation, will come in the fulness of 
time. The soul is ready for anything; 
ready for nothing. All that is true comes 
from God ; what is not true, from the crea- 
ture. The soul does not seek to justify 
itself, nor produce humiliation, but passes 
on, disregarding self, and absorbed in God. 
12^ 



138 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 



STATE OF REST IN GOD. 

If I do not reply to you, Dear Sir, as 
soon as you might expect, it is because I 
hold myself in reserve, until I have a move- 
ment to write, and not from any want of 
regard to you. Relative to the distinct, 
voluntary acts of resignation, renounce- 
ment, it would be difficult, in my present 
state, to make such acts, because such acts 
would seem to imply something of self- 
appropriation still remaining; whereas, I 
have given to my Sovereign, all that I am ; 
and as far as I know, I have nothing more 
to give him. My soul is at rest in his will. 

It is the same in regard to prayer, or 
petitions. The soul having a very simple 
method of prayer, all other prayer seems 
foreign to it. When it would make a 
request, and as soon as the soul knows 
distinctly what it demands, there is some- 
thing which goes before to accomplish it, 



STATE OF REST IN GOD. 139 

without the utterance of words. When 
the soul utters words, or makes petitions, 
^f the spirit accompanying approves, the 
prayer is made with ease. If the spirit do 
not cooperate, the words are uttered with 
difficulty, or not at all. God takes the 
place of self in the soul, and there prays 
for things agreeable to his will. This is a 
state of the soul, in which it has no desire 
to originate prayer, but loves to be silent 
in the presence of God. This is an expe- 
rience more satisfactory than I am able to 
express. O, that all the earth knew what 
it means to keep silence before the Lord ! 



140 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 



GREAT HUMILIATIONS. 

I HAVE a clear discernment of your state 
It seems to me, I see it in some measure 
as God sees it ; that is, in the pure light 
of truth, — the reasons why you suffer, and 
the blessed results of these sufferings. I 
have known that the period of discipline 
would be long, and very long, because you 
suffer not only on your own account, but 
also for the benefit of others. God destines 
you to accomplish great things for his glory, 
and exterior humiliations in your case not 
being suited to his designs, he makes use 
of concealed humiliations, known only to 
yourself and God. I will repeat to you 
the words addressed by our Lord to St. 
Paul. " My grace is sufficient for thee ; 
my strength is made perfect in weakness. " 

It will be in companionship with humil- 
iations, that you will be saved from falling 
into sin and error, and be prepared to be 



GREAT HUMILIATIONS. • 141 

come a vessel fit for the Master's use. You 
will experience from time to time, a return 
of these humiliating states, and when you 
may think they have entirely passed away, 
they will suddenly revive. But the greater 
your humiliation, the more God will use 
you to perform his most excellent works. 
In this state of entire self-reduction and 
humiliation, your words will be clothed 
with power. 

" I am come," says our Lord, " to bring 
fire on the earth." O martyr of Pure Love, 
— a sacrifice for the good of others, what 
if the fires be already kindled in your 
bosom, shrink not! If you were less to 
God, he might spare you. 

Do not hesitate to speak to me of your 
sufferings, because it appears to you useless. 
It is not so. If you speak of them in sim- 
plicity, your heart will be relieved, and 
strengthened. I know how to sympathise 
with you. God bless you. 



142 • LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 



REPOSE OF THE SOUL IN GOD. 

Having given up myself wholly to God, 
and loving Him far better than myself, how 
can I find any opposition to his good plea- 
sure ? How can I do otherwise than yield 
to one I love better than myself? How 
can a soul withdraw from the dominion of 
a Sovereign, that it loves with the whole 
heart ? " What can separate us from the 
love of God, in Christ Jesus ? " Although, 
while we remain in this life, there is a 
possibility of sinning, and of separation 
from God, and it is true, that the soul 
remains in oneness with Him, only by the 
continuance of his mercy, and that if he 
should leave it, it would immediately fall 
into sin, yet I cannot have the least fear, 
that my God will leave me, or that 1 shall 
ever separate myself in any degree from 
his love. 

The creature can take no glory to itself, 



REPOSE OF THE SOUL IN GOD. 143 

to whatever state it may arrive. O that 
you might comprehend what I cannot 
express — the sense I have of the goodness 
of God, to keep what is his own ! How 
jealous, how watchful he is over the soul ! 
God seems so truly all things to me, that I 
seem to see nothing, to love nothing, relish 
nothing, only what he causes me to see, 
love and relish in himself. I am only 
capable of loving and submitting to him, 
so much is he my life. I believe God 
blindfold, without questioning or reasoning. 
God is ; this is sufficient. How immense 
is the freedom of the soul in him ! O may 
you not doubt, that when all of self is taken 
away from the creature, there remains only 
God. O God, can I have any self-interest, 
or appropriate aught as mine? In what 
can I take it ? How strange the thought ! 
how far removed from the possession of 
God ! I am lost. God is. 



144 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 



POWER OF CASTING OUT EVIL SPIRITS. 

Although for many years, profound 
truths have been revealed to me, and God 
has manifested his power through me, in 
an extraordinary manner, my state has 
invariably been one of infancy, simplicity 
and candor. God's grace has rendered 
me equally willing to lie concealed, or to 
execute his will more publicly. During 
seven years, without my knowing how it 
was accomplished, as soon as I have ap- 
proached some persons, possesed by demons, 
the evil spirits have depg.rted. I have 
realised simply a desire to relieve them, 
and this desire, or prayer, has been answered 
in a way unknown to myself. Of myself, 
I have no goodness nor power at all. I have 
only the capacity of a child — of letting 
myself be used by God, as pleases Him. 
My life appears natural. I am encompassed 
with infirmities. My health is greatly im- 



CASTING OUT EVIL SPIRITS. 145 

paired. My infirmities are a balance- 
wheel, a counterpoise to exaltation. Yet 
life is ever flowing, without any thought 
of the means of sustaining it ; as we live in 
the air without thinking of the air we 
breathe. 

13 



146 LETTERS OF MADAME GUYON. 



STATE OF A SOUL KE-UNITED TO GOD. 

In reply to your enquiry, my dear chil- 
dren, concerning my state, I would say, 
that exteriorly, I am open, simple, child- 
like. My interior resembles a drop of 
water, mingling and lost in the ocean, and 
no more discerning itself, — the sea not 
only surrounding, but absorbing it. In this 
divine immensity, the soul discerns and 
enjoys all objects in God. All is darkness 
and obscurity in respect to itself; all is 
light on the part of God. Thus, God is all 
to me. This has been my state more than 
thirty years, although in latter years I have 
realized greater depths in these experiences. 
Think of the bottomless sea ; what is thrown 
therein, continues sinking, without ever 
reaching the end. Thus divine love is the 
weight of the soul, that sinks it deeper and 
deeper in God. " God is Love, and he who 



A SOUL RE-UNITED TO GOD. 147 

dwells in love, dwells in God, and God in 
him. " O immensity I 

Jesus Christ, the embodiment of truth 
and love, has explained the Scriptures by 
fulfilling them. So when the soul has 
passed into God, the Word is fulfilled in 
the soul, as it was in Christ. O Love ! 
thou art thyself the pure, naked, simple 
truth, which is expressed, not by me, but 
by thyself, through me. Amen. 



148 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 



CONCISE YIEW OF THE INTERIOR WAY. 

The soul seeks God in faith not by the 
reasonings of the mind and labored efforts^ 
but by the drawings of love; to which in* 
clinations God responds^ and instructs the 
soul, which co-operates actively, God then 
puts the soul in a passive state, where he 
accomplishes all, causing great progress, 
first by way of enjoyment, then by priva- 
tion, and finally by pure Love. 

What do we understand by the Interior 
way ? It is to seek the kingdom of God 
within us. Luke 17, 21. We find this 
kingdom only where God has placed it, 
within the soul. It becomes necessary, 
then, to withdraw the eyes of the soul from 
external landmarks and observations, w^hich 
man, in the pride of reason, has located 
around it, and rest the eye in faith, on the 
Word of the Lord, — " Seek and ye shall 
findP This seeking, involves an interior 



VIEW OF THE INTERIOR WAY. 149 

activity of the soul; a desire, a determi- 
nation, and searching after what is hidden. 

When the soul has thus earnestly sought 
the kingdom of God within, this kingdom 
is developed little by little. Interior recol 
lection becomes less difficult, and the pre- 
sence of God more perceptible and agree- 
able. Formerly it was supposed, that the 
presence of God was only the thought of 
God, and that it was necessary to force the 
mind — to concentrate the thoughts with 
violence to find God. This is true in 
some sense, but, as the soul cannot long 
endure this tension, and as the kingdom of 
God is not found in the external vestments 
of the soul, but in its depths, this labor 
is of little avail. So little progress is 
made, the soul becomes discouraged, and 
the evil one, who fears nothing so much as 
the reign of God in the soul, makes an 
effort to draw the soul to externalities. 

In order to accomplish this object, he 
takes two methods, either by excessive la- 
13^ 



150 LETTERS OP MADAM GUYON. 

bors, persuading the soul that this is the 
way to find God, and thus choking the , 
internal process of the interior life, or, by 
this tension of the mind, of which I have 
spoken. Neither of these methods open in 
the soul, the interior way. 

You reply, how, then, is this life accom- 
plished? I answer, God, seeing the heart 
of him who seeks him within, draws near 
to him, and teaches him a just moderation 
in all things ; and, by this retrenchment of 
all excess in externals, the soul begins to 
perceive the peaceful kingdom. It realizes 
within itself a guide, who provides for its 
necessities, according to divine laws, who 
takes away the burdens that sin imposes ; 
a guide who does not foster corrupt nature, 
nor forbid innocent pleasures. 

When the soul begins to perceive this 
kingdom, and that the King himself is 
manifested in some degree, it thus com- 
munes, (and we may call this the second 
step), O, my Beloved, I have sought thee 



VIEW OF IHE JNT^JRIOR WAY. 151 

with all the strength of my heart, in the 
place where thou hast taught me to seek 
thee, and I have there found thee ! Days 
and nights have I passed in seeking thee. 
All the desires of my heart go after thee. 
But now I have found thee. I pray thee 
to reign as Sovereign, to establish thine 
empire in my soul. I will do thy will 
alone. I will resign to thee all the right I 
have to myself; all that thou, by thy good- 
ness, hast given to me. 

At this stage of progress, the soul ceases 
from self. Its work is to regard, lov- 
ingly, the operation of God, without a 
desire either to advance it, or place any 
obstacle in the way of its progress. The 
soul has been active, in the first stage, to 
destroy, with all its power, that which 
might hinder the kingdom of God within ; 
and this was a great effort ; for habit had 
rendered interior recollection very difficult, 
and the powers of the soul did not easily 
reunite themselves in one centre. 



152 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 

Now the soul seeks no longer to combat 
the obstacles, which hindered its return 
within, but lets God combat and act in 
the soul. Saying, it is time O, Lord, that 
thou shouldst take possession of thy king- 
dom ! Do so, I pray thee, exclusively. I 
desire, on my part, only to observe thine 
operation. 

This commencement of the reign of God, 
and of the passive way, is very highly 
relished by the soul. The soul passes 
days, and even years, separated from crea- 
ture enjoyments without weariness. It ad- 
vances very much more by this way, in 
little time, than by all the efforts of many 
years. It is not without faults and imper- 
fections, but divine love diminishes them 
little by little, or does not permit the soul to 
become disturbed by them, lest it become 
discouraged and its love hindered. This 
state is called passive love. The soul sees no 
cause to fear ; it supposes that all the work 
is done, and that it has only to pass into 



VIEW OF THE INTERIOR WAY. 153 

eternity, and to enjoy this good Sovereign, 
who already gives himself to the soul in so 
much fulness. 

But in the onward progress of thq soul, 
it becomes no longer doubtful, whether the 
soul is to remain in the passive enjoyment 
of God and his communications. The soul 
begins to feel a drawing, to let God not 
only be all things in the soul, but there 
to reign separate from the soul's enjoy- 
ment of his gifts. The soul now expe- 
riences what is called, by the author of 
the Imitation of Christ, the exile of the 
heart. It hears a voice in the depth of 
the soul, or, rather, has an impression, that 
God reigns there alone. This exile is at 
first very painful, for it is important to 
notice, that, from the commencement of 
seeking God in the depth of the soul to the 
possession of him, there are many trials, 
temptations, sorrows. Every successive 
state is marked by a purifying' process. 
Persons often mistake, and take the first 



154 LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON. 

purification for the last. When God reigns 
alone in the soul, separate from the action 
of self, and self is destroyed, it is beyond 
any previous state. 

When the soul has ceased from its own 
selfish operations, and the man of sin is 
exterminated, its defects become more ap- 
parent, because God wishes it to compre- 
hend what it is by itself, and what it would 
be without him. The soul is thus afflicted, 
believing it has lost the virtues, acquired 
with so much care, and seems to have 
faults that it had not before perceived. 
It says, with the spouse in the Canticles, 
" I have washed my feet, how shall I sully 
them?" You do not perceive, O, soul 
beloved, that you do not sully them in 
going to " open to the spouse," and that 
if you contract some slight impurity, he 
will remove it so perfectly, that you will 
become more beautiful. In the mean time, 
it is not the desire of the spouse to become 
beautiful in her own eyes, but to see only 



VIEW OF THE INTERIOR WAY. 155 

the beauty of her Lover. When the soul 
is faithful in this state, and really desires 
to die to itself, she is pleased only with 
the beauty of her Beloved, and says his 
beauty shall be my beauty. But it is 
necessary to advance beyond this, for, after 
being despoiled of her beauty, it would be 
a selfishness much greater to appropriate 
to herself, the beauty of her Beloved. His 
beauty must remain untarnished, unappro- 
priated by her; she must leave him all, 
and remain in her nothing, for the nothing 
is her proper place. This is Perfect Love, 
which regards God alone. 



COREESPOiNDENCE BETWEEN 
MADAME GUYON AND FMELON. 

ABRIDGED. 



MADAME GUYON TO FIINELON. 159 

I. 

m 

MADAME GUYON TO FENELON. 

Agreeably to your kind oflFer, sir, to ren- 
der me any assistance in your power, I take 
the liberty to send you some writings, which 
I earnestly desire you to criticise, without 
any regard to myself personally : spare 
nothing which seems to be more of self 
than of God. I desire only his glory. I 
wish, also, to ask your advice regarding 
the records of my life, which I have written 
out, during the last six years, by particular 
request of friends. Shall I destroy this 
journal, or preserve and continue it ? I 
have not found it diflScult, heretofore, to 
record my follies, and the mercies of God. 
But to continue this journal would be more 
diflScult on account of the greater simplicity 
of my inward state, which is one and the 
same for more than eight years. 

14* 



160 LETTERS OF MADAME GUYON. 

I ought to apologize, sir, for sending you 
the manuscripts so badly written, and other- 
wise so imperfect; not having re-read them. 
God gives me great confidence in you. I 
am more and more persuaded you are the 
person designated in my dream, eight years 
since."^ 

It is more than four years since I com- 
pleted my Commentary on the Holy Scrip- 
tures. These explanations of Scripture 
have proceeded from a simple reading of 
the text. I have not had recourse to the 
writings of learned men. And these com- 
ments would be more perfect if I had not 
followed too much my own inclination, in 



* This dream is related by Madame Guyon in her 
" Autobiography," vol. ii., chap 17, and is as follows : — 

" I saw, in my dream, a great number of beautiful birds, 
which all the persons around me were eager to catch. Among 
them was one of extraordinary beauty, which all were bent 
upon pursuing. I made no effort myself, but all the birds came 
and offered themselves to me. They would fly away, and then 
return again. And, very much to my surprise, this beautiful 
bird came to me and did not fly away. He gave himself to me. 
But this beautiful bird, — beautiful above ail others, — although 
he has not yet come to me, is not unknown. And I am certain, 
that, either before or after my death, he will give himself 
wholly to God.'' 



MADAME GUYON TO FENELON. 161 

continuing to write without the divine in- 
flux, not clearly discerning, at the time, my 
error, which I pray God those who read my 
writings may be able to discern. 



162 LETTERS OF MADAME GUYON. 

II. 

FENELON TO MADAME GUYON. 

The manuscripts you have sent me, mad- 
ame, have afforded me great pleasure. I 
have found nothing in them which has not 
edified me very much. Be assured, I speak 
sincerely, and not in a complimentary way. 
Regarding the history of your life, I do not 
hesitate to say that you should not destroy 
it. God will draw from it fruit in its sea- 
son. And the same simplicity which has 
enabled you, in compliance with the request 
of friends, to make these records, should 
lead you, also, to preserve and continue 
them from time to time, as you are able to 
give expression to your inward states. I 
am well aware, without experimental knowl- 
edge of the fact, that, the nearer one ap- 
proaches to God, the more simple and uni- 
form is his state, and the more difficult it 



FENELON TO MADAME GUYOxNT. 163 

becomes to give expression to this state. 
It is God alone that fills and occupies the 
mind. 

I think you should write in simplicity 
and yet cautiously, in reference to individ- 
uals, and as concisely as possible ; but, above 
all, in the liberty of the Spirit of God. 
Your views and explanations of Scripture 
have been written, I believe, according to 
the movement of the Spirit of God. In him, 
madame, I am very much devoted to your 
service. 



164 LETTEES OF MADAME GUYON. 

III. 
MADAME GUYON TO FENELON. 

For several days past, sir, I have been 
in a state of continual prayer for you, — a 
state which may be compared, in its ardor 
and strength, to a flame which cannot be 
extinguished. This was the state of prayer 
of Jesus Christ. And it is thus the seven 
spirits before the throne are compared to 
seven lamps which burn day and night. 
Bear with me when I say, there yet re- 
mains in your heart some opposition to the 
free operation of God's Spirit ; otherwise 
this prayer of the Spirit within me would 
not be so intense. I have often realized a 
similar state for others, but never for any 
one a prayer so intense and lasting. I en- 
treat you, let the designs of God be fully 
accomplished in your heart and life. I be- 
lieve God destines you to become a burning 



MADAME GUYON TO FENELON. 165 

and shining light to his church; and that 
he wishes I should say this to you ; and 
that you should receive it with great sim- 
plicity, neither rejecting it by false humil- 
ity, nor regarding it in any human light. 
God leaves no doubt in my mind of his 
holy will regarding you. 

And he will use his own instruments to 
accomplish his work. It is for this purpose 
he is ^uniting me to you, in the most pure 
and intimate manner; and this, notwith- 
standing the difference in our external cir- 
cumstances, and difference in all other re- 
spects. Oh, how pure, simple, divine, and 
worthy of God, is communion of soul with 
soul ! Our blessed Lord, by his incarnation, 
establishes this union. It was in this way 
John was sanctified in the womb of Eliza- 
beth, by the visit of Mary. It is a partici- 
pation of the heavenly hierarchy, where the 
blessed spirits flow together in harmony. 
Oh that Christians knew their high calling 
in Christ Jesus ! 



166 LETTERS OF MADAME GUYON. 

Let me tell you the beginnings of the 
way of faith diflFer very much from the end, 
or from that state when Jesus Christ, the 
eternal Wisdom, is revealed in the soul. 
And I am certain, that, after having a deep 
experience of the evils of your natural 
state, God will manifest himself to you in 
a remarkable manner, and set you apart for 
his glory. 

I jBnd myself so ill of a violent fever, 
that it is with difficulty I reply to your 
letter. 



FENELON TO MADAME GUYON, 167 

IV. 

FENELON TO MADAME GUYON. 

Nothing moves me more sensibly, 
madame, than your state of ill health. 
And yet I cannot be troubled, because 
you are in the hands of God. Shall I 
come and see you? Neglect no means 
that can help you : I ask it in the name 
of the Lord. Your last letter will re- 
main all my life embedded in my heart. 
It seems to me that our union in God is 
increasing. I am united to you, not only 
on the days of our special religious ser- 
vices, but on all other days. I am read- 
ing with great pleasure, and slowly, your 
explanations of Paul's Epistles. I have a 
special interest in what relates to the in- 
terior life. 

I find myself often undecided in refer- 
ence to small matters, — whether to do. 



168 LETTERS OF MADAME GUYON. 

or not to do ; and have no decided choice. 
There are reasons on both sides. What 
must I do ? The experience I have had, 
at times, in following my first movements, 
in which I have subsequently perceived 
much of selfishness, has made me hesitate 
to proceed in this way. And then, on the 
other hand, if I begin to hesitate and 
reason, my uncertainty increases. God 
humbles me. Each day I find many little 

things, too slight to mention, which con- 

• 

tribute, at the moment of their occurrence, 
to cause me to die little by little. It is 
by these little matters that I discover so 
clearly my natural aversions, and the 
depths of self. But I am not hindered, 
voluntarily, by any of these external things. 
While I continue to realize many distrac- 
tions, I realize also, increasingly, a sweet 
interior peace, and more and more of the 
presence of God. 

If the oflSce of bishop is conferred upon 
me, and I refuse it, believing I can be 



FENELON TO MADAME GUYON. 169 

more useful to remain where I am than to 
perform the duties of a diocese, am I at 
liberty to follow these convictions ? Pray- 
over this matter, and please answer me, 
according to the light God gives you. 

Shall I read your letters to Mr. C. ? 

I am reading slowly your commentary 
on the Pentateuch. 

15 



170 LETTERS OF MADAME GUYON. 



MADAME GUYON TO FENELON. 

You are so truly the Lord^s, sir, and he 
exercises over you such watchful care, 
that I assure you without any hesitation, 
that, when it is necessary for you to de- 
cide upon any matter, God will give you, 
at the moment when it becomes necessary 
to decide, a strong inclination either to re- 
fuse or accept it, according as is his will. I 
am certain, that, in the present state of 
your heart, you are not hindered from fol- 
lowing God's will by any voluntary move- 
ment. Involuntary distractions, when one 
is not hindered by them, by making too 
much account of them, purify the soul ; 
and the knowledge of them will prepare 
the soul for another state, which is yet, 
with you, afar oflf, — a state of purity, 
without any distractions ; a state where all 



MADAME GUYON TO FENELON. 171 

the powers of the soul are reduced to 
unity ; in which state the mind and heart 
make only one act. 

Your prayer is less easy, because God, 
wishing to become your principle, takes 
away your own thoughts, in order to sub- 
stitute what is more in accordance with his 
will. God is leading you, not by the way 
of great crosses and violent conflicts,. but 
by the way of littleness. You cannot be- 
come too little, too childlike ; and there- 
fore God has chosen a child to be your 
companion, to teach you the route of little 
children. When you reach this state of 
littleness, God will renew within you his 
image : you will live no more. Jesus 
Christ will live in you. 

To accomplish this is the work of the 
Holy Spirit. He will send the devouring 
fire before his face ; that is, he will send 
his Spirit before his word, in order that 
the Spirit burn and destroy all that is evil : 
and then Jesus Christ the Word will be 



172 LETTERS OF MADAME GUYON. 

formed in you ; you will be changed into 
his image, from glory to glory. '' Our God 
is a consuming fire/' 

I cannot now speak of this new life in 
Christ, which will be of infinite extent. 
SuflSce to say, you will know all things. 
It is to this blessed life, which is reached 
only by the death of self, that I invite 
you. 

Do not read at present the whole of the 
Pentateuch, but only that portion of it 
which relates to the passage of the Israel- 
ites across the Red Sea into the Promised 
Land. 



FENELON TO MADAME GUYON. 173 

VT. 

FENELON TO MADAME GUYON. 

I FIND myself willing all, and willing 
nothing ; that is, I will all that God wills, 
•and will nothing of myself. My will, as it 
seems to me, is fixed in this state. And 
yet I find my natural aversions and incli- 
nations pushing out, on all sides, like the 
leaves of the tree in springtime. I am as 
a garrison besieged, the walls all broken 
down. I cannot conceal this state of deso- 
lation from my friends : it is apparent in 
my countenance, and in the tones of my 
voice. And yet I have no great tempta- ^ 
tions. It is only my weakness that makes 
the temptations strong. I have a disincli- 
nation to the place of prayer ; and, when 
there, my temptations are great : I do not 
find that inward recollection and enjoy- 
ment of God I anticipated ; and, it seems to 

15* 



174 LETTERS OF MADAME GUYON. 

me, I accomplish nothing. In the depths 
of my being, I find a repose in God ; but, 
in the business of the day, there is less 
recollection or perception of God. I am 
sometimes tempted to hasten matters ; to 
outstrip myself, and get beyond this state : 
but I content myself to leave to each mo- 
ment all its distractions. My soul is so 
barren, and I am so much occupied in 
external duties, that it seems to me, some- 
times, as if there was no place for God in 
my heart. The distress I realize on ac- 
count of my low state ; and my desire to 
be wholly the Lord's alone sustains me. 

I am satisfied, from present experience, 
that the enjoyment of repose, and the oc- 
cupation of the soul, in this way, is a re- 
turn of selfishness very dangerous. And 
thus the soul is retarded by the same 
means that was helpful in a previous stage 
of progress. I understand that means are 
to be used only as a proof of our fidelity 
and subjection to God, and not as real sup- 



FENELON TO MADAME GUYON. 175 

ports to the soul. Relish of retirement is 
a state of which God becomes jealous, 
after having made use of this means to 
draw us from ourselves. Unhappy he 
who amuses himself with the gifts of 
grace, as the natural man with the endow- 
ments of Nature. Wisdom, too human, 
becomes a snare. I cannot find in it 
either peace or despoilment : it is a heavy 
clog to my steps 



176 LETTERS OP MADAME GUYON. 

VIL 

MADAME GUYON TO FENELON. 

The point of consideration most impor- 
tant for you, sir, is the loss of your own will 
in the will of God. God desires to lead you 
himself; and all he requires of you is to 
permit him to do so. And, in order to 
this, you must suffer yourself to die daily, 
and moment by moment, by means of all 
the passing events of life : suffering your 
repugnances to be consumed in you, by 
not regarding them, let them suffer and die. 

The way of pure faith, in the loss of the 
will, is so barren to Nature, that the soul 
* sees nothing, and holds to nothing seem- 
ingly. But often, when one prop is re- 
moved, the soul finds itself clinging to 
another. And at this point, letting go the 
hold of some things, the will awakens even 
to a firmer grasp of some other things. 



MADAME GUTON TO FENELON. 177 

Aside from the usual way in which God 
leads souls, there is a specific leading, ap- 
propriate to the state and character of 
each one. And I have never known two 
persons so near alike as to be led pre- 
cisely in the same way. And these diver- 
sities, giving to each one an individual 
character, and leading adapted to that 
character, redound to the glory of God. 
What might cause the death of another 
might not answer for you, on account of 
the greater depth of your interior. The 
sufi'ering of advancing souls arises from 
resistance to God^s will, although this will 
may not always be understood at the time. 
This resistance, however innocent, causes 
a disturbed state of the soul. 

We must not judge of the propriety of 
God's dealings with us by our relish or 
disrelish of these dealings. He who has 
lost his own will is so well balanced as to 
be easily moved by God, when the right 
moment comes for a decision. The per- 



178' LETTERS OP MADAME GUYON. 

feet will of God, by whieh the soul is in- 
troduced to its first principle, and to the 
consummation of unity in God, although 
very certain in itself, leaves the soul, in its 
incipient state of progress, to a thousand 
uncertainties. Certainty would be a prop, 
and hinder the loss of the will. 

You may not be able, at present, to un- 
derstand what is meant by the loss of the 
will. Nor is it easy to give expression to 
a state so exalted, and implying such 
union with God. ^^ The Torrents " ^ is well 
adapted to persons in all stages of prog- 
ress. 

The more resolute and fixed your will 
becomes, the greater your sensibility to 
natural aversions and faults, because of 
the increased opposition of the will to all 
that is evil. But be encouraged : it is as 
a tree, which, dying at its stock, is pushing 
out only false buds, which serve only to 

* '♦ The Torrents," by Madame Guyon, translated from the 
French by Kev. Mr. Ford. 



MADAME GUYON TO FENELON. 179 

consume its sap, and hasten its death. As 
you reach the state of death, which is pre- 
ceded by an experience of your misery 
and poverty, great truths will be dis- 
covered to you, known only to those who 
are taught of God. Then you will know 
God alone is truth. 

Oh that I could express to you what I 
now perceive of the designs of God, in 
giving you his spirit of truth, which 
searches you out, and leaves you in pos- 
session of nothing in order to possess you 
himself! Leave yourself, then, all empty, 
as you are, with God ; and consider your- 
self the happiest of men, because the most 
feeble. God designs to make you the 
father of a great people, — a people pecu- 
liar, humble, docile, childlike ; and; on this 
account, he will lay deep the foundation 
of your spiritual edifice. By the loss of all 
things you will obtain infinite riches, in- 
finite freedom. You will be constrained to 
say with Paul (2 Cor. xii. 10), "There- 



180 LETTERS OP MADAME GUYON. 

fore I take pleasure in infirmities, in re- 
proaches, in necessities, in persecutions, 
in distresses, for Christ's sake ; for when 
I am weak, then am I strong." 



FENELON TO MADAME GUI ON. 181 

YIII. 
FENELON TO MADAME GUYON. 

I AM quite certain, madame, that none 
can comprehend the state of pure love, 
except those who have experienced it. No 
one knows the depths of the Spirit of God, 
but the Spirit itself. He, therefore, who 
has no experience of this state judges im- 
perfectly, according to his limited view. It 
is on this account I am silent, and am willing 
to wait until it pleases God to give me a 
clear knowledge or experience of this state. 
I understand the state of death which 
St. Paul depicts, expressed by these words, 
'' It is no more I that live, but Jesus Christ 
in me," to be a state in which one is cru- 
cified to the world, that is, to all that is 
not God ; a state in which one feels no 
condemnation, without, at the same time, 
possessing any righteousness of his own ; 

16 



182 LETTERS OF MADAME GUYON. 

a state in which one glories only in the 
Lord, and speaks of himself as of another, 
and fears not to say of himself, or of the 
grace of God in him, sublime things, be- 
cause such an one is out of self, dwelling 
in God, and God in him. When one has 
reached this state, the death of self is con- 
summated, but life is not. This life of God 
in the soul increases from day to day, and 
will be increasing through all eternity. 
In this state, righteousness is not only im- 
puted, but really possessed by the soul, 
by the indwelling of the spirit of God. 
These are my views on an experience or 
state I have not yet reached. But, as I 
view it, no one is infallible, although dead 
to the selfish life. The faults committed 
in this state are involuntary, ordinarily, 
and not those of actual disobedience to 
God's known will. 

Yesterday I committed a trespass against 
a person who is by nature very disagreeable 
to me. This fault humbled, although it did 



FENELON TO MADAME GUYON. 183 

not distress me. I propose to visit him 
this morning, to make suitable reparation 
for the wrong. 

Every day, I see my faults ; and I am quite 
certain that self is not dead. I realize 
movements so natural and so evil, that I 
must conclude the poison is within, and 
will not leave me without a violent opera- 
tion. At times, I find it necessary to amuse 
myself in various ways, as a child plays. 
There is a little child here, two and a half 
years old, with whom I play sometimes. 

Nothing affords me so much pleasure as 
the thought that I am uuited to you in God. 



184 LETTERS OF MADAME GUYON. 

IX. 

MADAME GUYON TO FENELON. 

I HAVE recently, sir, seen clearly, in the 
light of God, the origin and nature of spirit- 
ual unions, — the mutual dependence of one 
soul upon another, and the results of union. 
Oh, how beautiful are our advancing steps 
in the clearer light of God ! The soul, 
being created originally in the image of 
God, and being restored to this image by 
means of the personal incarnation of the 
Word, receives a part of his divine nature 
or attributes. In receiving a part of this 
nature, the soul receives the quality of pro- 
ductiveness, or power of communicating 
grace. It is thus in union with God ; and, 
being made a partaker of the nature of 
God, that soul unites itself to soul, and in 
this way communicates grace, as God com- 
municates himself, his essence and nature 



MADAME GUYON TO FENELON. 185 

and power, to his creatures. The soul being 
in God and of God, it draws and penetrates 
other souls, by means of the divine opera- 
tion through this soul, as an absorbing and 
reflecting medium. Although those inter- 
. vening rays may seem of themselves to 
draw others, it is God alone who acts as 
first cause. It is not easy to separate the 
ray from the body of the sun, although it 
is distinct. And those souls who are 
nearest to God, or in closest union with 
bim, possess the most of this power. Yes : 
it is God alone who draws and unites souls 
in himself to one another ; the intervening 
soul presenting no obstacle, on account of 
its purity and transparency, but serving 
rather as a medium for the communication 
of grace. It is thus one soul bears the 
burden of another soul. It is in this way 
God has caused me to suffer on your 
account. In advancing to this state of 
union, the soul will encounter whirlwinds 
of temptation, but the truth of God will 

16* 



186 LETTERS OF MADAME GUYON. 

stand. The vessel, although beaten by 
the winds and waves, will assuredly reach 
a safe harbor. God is pilot. 

I have found it diflficult to give expres- 
sion to this experience. May your light 
supply what is lacking. Have the good- 
ness to express to me your views, even if 
opposed to my own. 

Please read fifty-fourth chapter of Isaiah, 
and give me your views of it. I have 
opened the Bible several times of late to 
this chapter, and God has given me an 
understanding of it adapted to my state. 
The grace that God gives me to aid souls 
is increasing, and the number of such 
persons is increasing. The results are 
wonderful. I remain with you, ever the 
same, one in God. 



FENELON TO MADAME <JUYON. 187 



FENELON TO MADAME GUYON. 

Since yesterday, I have desired to write 
you, madame, although I had resolved not 
to do so before seeing you, which, I trust, 
will be soon. I often think of you, and 
find myself more and more united to you 
in God. I am one with you in the Infinite, 
and it seems to me we shall remain always 
one in him. I am as confident as you are, 
that God blesses me through you. My 
thoughts of you are always blessed, be- 
cause I never see you out of God, and see 
God through you, without resting at all in 
you. Sometimes I experience some little 
doubts and temptations regarding this 
state ; but they quickly vanish, having no 
real foundation. Our union is established, 
and at the same time increasing. I agree 
with you, there are no unions so blessed 



188 LETTERS OP MADAME GUYON. 

as the union of souls in God, although I 
can give no very definite expression of this 
state of union. I could not speak of any one 
particular thought I have of you, although 
I think of you so often. It is a general 
view or impression of you, accompanied 
with great peace and enjoyment in God. 
My confidence in you is unbounded, on ac- 
count of your goodness, your simplicity, ' 
your knowledge and experience of the 
deep things of God, and, finally, on ac- 
count of the designs of God in relation to 
myself through you. 

I have read twice the fifty-fourth chap- 
ter of Isaiah. It represents the glory and 
fruitfulness of the Church of Christ, which 
is at first as the barren and forsaken 
spouse. Souls whom God destines to 
draw other souls to himself pass at first 
through the wilderness state, stripped of the 
all of self, which is a way full of tribulation 
to the natural heart. But subsequently, 
when the soul is prepared, God enriches 



FENELON TO MADAME GUYON. 189 

her and renders her fruitful in himself. 
Thus it is with you. I am not able to 
speak of what you are to others, but I 
know what you are to me. I shall be most 
happy to see you soon, and to sit with you 
in prayerful recollection before God. 

Be persuaded *I write you in whole- 
hearted simplicity. You know with what 
grateful recollections I am yours in our 
Lord. 



190 LETTERS OF MADAME GUYON. 



XI. 



MADAME GUYON TO FENELON. 

You have explained, sir, in few words, 
the nature of the union of souls in God, — a 
union existing in great simplicity of state, 
a union in which is no space or nothing 
separating, because it is established of 
God and is in God. I find you in God, 
and God in you. The greater my union 
with God, the greater my union with you. 
I realize, at times, a more perceptible over- 
flowing and drawing of your soul with 
mine into the fulness of God, and yet in 
the same purity and simplicity. 

I am not surprised that doubts some- 
times arise in your mind concerning this 
state. It is so with myself; but they van- 
ish in the thought that God takes pleasure 
to glorify himself in his children, even the 
weakest. And, besides this, I have a cer- 



MADAME GUYON TO FENELON. 191 

tain indifference to all that relates to me 
personally. I desire, first of all, the glory 
of God, whatever becomes of me. Only 
yesterday, I was questioning if I had not 
of myself induced this state ; and I asked 
the Lord, if it was his Spirit that was op- 
erating through me on other souls, that a 
person who was then present might ex- 
perience the results of this operation. And 
immediately this person, who was entirely 
ignorant of my prayer, experienced a sen- 
sible communication of grace, and spoke to 
me of the great peace and enjoyment of 
God which had just been imparted to 
her soul. It has been impressed on my 
mind for several days past, that the love of 
God for his creatures goes out of himself 
like a torrent, and blesses all hearts open 
to receive it ; and that the love which the 
holy soul experiences and diffuses is only 
a portion of this same love. 

Yesterday I had a strong impression (I 
was sick in bed) that I was called to bear 



192 LETTERS OF MADAME GUYON. 

the cross of Christ to a still greater degree 
than ever before. All I could do was to 
say, " Let thy will, God ! be accomplished 
in me." And in thus surrendering myself 
anew, to bear all sufferings in union with 
my Lord, and for the good of his church, 
these words were given me : ^^ I will es- 
pouse thee to .me forever ; yea, I will be- 
troth thee unto me, in righteousness, and 
in loving kindness, and in mercies " (Hosea 
ii. 19, 20). 

Notwithstanding my presentiment that 
I should not die very soon, I was so ill 
yesterday, I thought my end was near. In 
the evening, I had a strong conviction 
that I should recover ; and, with this con- 
viction, I experienced such a fulness of 
God's Spirit, and such enlargement of 
heart, as greatly to increase my physical 
strength. But I can speak to no persons 
here of these peculiar exercises. I know 
it is not best to see you too frequently, 
and I know our Lord can supply the lack 



MADAME GUYON TO FENELON. 193 

of personal interviews ; and even now, 
while I am writing, I find my soul so united 
to you as to make me realize that no dis- 
tance or space in the natural world can in- 
terrupt the intercourse of souls made one 
in God. 

I am, in him, all to you he makes me to 
be. 

17 



194 LETTERS OF MADAME GUYON. 

XII. 

MADAME GUYON TO FENELON. 

Last night, sir, for the first time since 
our acquaintance, I had a very singular 
dream of you. You will smile at my sim- 
plicity in relating it ; but no matter : you 
will yet become as much of a child as I 
am ; and it is only little children that can 
enter into the kingdom of heaven. 

I saw- in my dream a very deep valley. 
You were on the summit of the mountain, 
and about to descend. There were a few 
persons present, who had with great diflS- 
culty ascended the mountain, which we 
were to descend. You and I were seated 
together, and were gliding along down the 
summit, without any movement of our own. 
This descent of the valley, or declivity, was 
marked with deep furrows, or ridges, at 
regular intervals, which made it easier to 



MADAME GUYON TO FBNELON. 195 

ascend the mountain, but seemed to pre- 
sent an obstacle to our descending in the 
manner in which we were seated, making 
no movement ourselves. But this appa- 
rent difficulty was obviated by the flexi- 
bility of the mountain, which seemed to 
abase itself in these ridges, as the waves 
of tjie sea; so that we descended easily, 
carried along by the movement of the 
mountain. 

One of tne persons who had ascended 
the mountain — a woman — stopped you, 
and, while she was conversing with you, 
hindered you from descending, and hin- 
dered, also, the movement of the mountain. 
I was arrested with you, and understood, 
that, as I was descending only on your ac- 
count, I should be retarded as long as you 
were. While you were being arrested, I 
suffered much. When this woman with- 
drew, I was more strongly bound to you 
than ever ; and our inclination was mu- 
tual. I said to you, " my child 1 how 



196 LETTERS OF MADAME GUYON. 

much I have suflfered, while you have been 
hindered by this woman ! '' You replied, 
^' I, too, have suflFered much ; for I was re- 
moved from my right position, and where 
my inclination led me ; but I am taught a 
lesson : to let nothing hinder me J^ After this, 
we descended very rapidly, and with great 
delight, and repose of soul in soul. We 
found ourselves, unawares, in a room at 
the base of the mountain, where were 
also a few persons of great innocence and 
purity, like ourselves. I said to you, ^^ The 
liberty which you have given me to call 
you ^ My child ^ pleases me, and removes 
from me the restraint that I have hitherto 
experienced." Here is my dream. It seems 
very clear to me. I will leave you to pene- 
trate its depths. 



FENELON TO MADAME GUION, 197 

XIII. 

FENELON TO MADAME GUYON. 

I READ with pleasure, madame, all that 
comes from your pen, and pray that you 
may follow freely the inclination God gives 
you to write me ; and, be assured, I shall be 
very much edified. I am so in advance, 
by a cordial reception of all. I am willing 
you should make reserves of what is be- 
yond my depth ; but I pray you to make no 
reserves as to what I need, and, especially, 
to reduce me to the simplicity of a child. 
God has given you an understanding of 
your dream. Please enlighten me. I per- 
ceive readily that human wisdom, personi- 
fied by the woman, is a great hinderance 
to my progress. Does this relate to the 
past, or to the present time ? Am I now 
in the state in which you are arrested by 
me? What do you understand by the 

17* 



198 LETTERS OF MADAME GUYON. 

room at the base of the mouDtain? Please 
express to me unreservedly your thoughts 
on the dream. 

If you know any point in which I fail, 
any one thing which hinders the free opera- 
tion of God's Spirit, I entreat you to tell me 
plainly, without any reserve ; for I desire 
only the accomplishment of God's will : all 
else is nothing to me. I know well that 
my wisdom must die ; but all I can do is 
to hold myself in the crucible. God must 
strike the blow. I accept all that God 
orders, without any self-reserves. What 
more can I do ? Will you do the rest for 
me by your prayers ? I am willing to pro- 
gress as fast or as slowly as God pleases, 
whatever it may cost me. I count as noth- 
ing all the suiferings I may endure. '^ SuflS- 
cient unto the day is the evil thereof." He 
who permits the evil will bring good out 
of the evil. Besides, I would not think of 
good relative to myself; for I desire to lose 
sight of myself, in order that God's will 



FENELON TO MADAME GUYON. 199 

may be fully accomplished. I would not 
have you suffer on my account. I am 
feeble both in mind and body, and unfitted 
for my external duties. But my soul rests 
in God. I take time for rest and recrea- 
tion, and amuse myself as well as I can. 
My seasons of prayer are irregular, and 
partake rather of silent meditation than of 
petition. My prayer is most natural when 
riding or walking. When I take a fixed 
position, my thoughts wander. You can 
judge from this expression of my feelings 
how humiliating is my experience. You 
know, as well as myself, what God permits 
me to be to you. 



200 LETTERS OF MADAME GUYON. 

XIV. 

MADAME GUYON TO FENELON. 

Nothing arrests your progress, sir, at 
the present time. The view in my dream 
relates to the future. In regard to the 
room at the base of the mountain, these 
words express my views : He who ascends 
must first descend. The base of the moun- 
tain was the point from which you were to 
ascend. I have no other light regarding 
the woman, only as representing human 
wisdom. And this, God will help you to 
subject to divine wisdom. You do well to 
let nothing in the past and present hinder 
you ; but also you must reject nothing in 
the future. Leave to God things to come. 

I perceive very clearly that you are 
drawn more and more to that state of sim- 
plicity I have so much desired you might 
reach. It will cost you much, I know, to 



MADAME GUYON TO FENELON. 201 

die to your own natural wisdom; and you 
will often be turning back upon yourself. 
But do not understand me as saying that 
you should not act of yourself, and thus 
become passive ; but, rather, that you should 
act at all times in simplicity, not waiting 
for a special movement, but leaving your 
heart always open to God, as a room is left 
open to go in and out as one pleases. While 
your eye is ever towards God for light and 
direction, you must walk on, having faith 
in your guide, and not waiting for a special 
movement. God will always be with you, 
and teach you all things. He will give 
you at the right moment words to utter. 
Inspiration comes in the moment needed, 
and is not the product of reasoning. You 
must become simple as a little child, who 
acts not by reasoning, but in a childlike 
way and in good faith. 

Faith embraces what is next to impossi- 
ble. God exercises our faith in many dif- 
ferent ways. After having taken away all 



202 LETTERS OF MADAME GUYON. 

our sensible supports, and making us real- 
ize how good is the way of self-despoilment, 
he exercises again our faith by renewing 
these sensible experiences. And when he 
awakens again these perceptible emotions, 
he purifies them, and by these exercises 
enlarges the capacity of the soul ; and, at 
the same time, the soul remains, in its deep 
interior, in perfect peace. Thus the soul 
is rendered active and multiplied in its ex- 
ercises, without becoming less simple and 
pure. It is now partaking more of the 
qualities of God, who is himself one, and 
varied in his operations. This experience 
may not be understood by you at the pres- 
ent time ; but it is important, because it is 
sometimes the case, that, for want of light, 
the soul does not readily acquiesce in this 
divine leading. Oh, how great is God, and 
how manifold are his operations on the 
soul of man ! 



FENELON TO MADAME GUYON. 203 

XV. 

FENELON TO MADAME GUYON. 

In relating to you, raadame, what M. D. 
M. has told me, I have had in view to 
warn you to use great discretion with per- 
sons who speak with you apparently in 
great confidence. And also I desire to let 
you know my recent sufferings on account 
of certain scandalous reports. Crowds of 
reflections have rushed upon my mind, 
and caused me almost insupportable grief. 
All has appeared to me on the most humil- 
iating side. And I could no more dissipate 
these thoughts, and the grief attending 
them, than I could fly in the air. But, in- 
asmuch as I held myself firmly to God, to 
sufier all his will, I believe I committed no 
sin. And I believe God will make use of 
this scourging to crucify my pride, my 
vanity, my ambition, my false wisdom. My 



204 LETTERS OP MADAME GUYON. 

soul is now again at rest ; and — can you be- 
lieve it ? — I have never been so closely 
united to you as now ; and this union has 
been increasing during all this suffering. 
My sufferings on account of this scandal 
have led me to think of your state of quiet 
resignation, and enjoyment of God, un- 
moved by external things, however afflict- 
ing to the natural man. How great have 
been ray fears lest I be drawn into a path 
which demolishes my natural prudence 
and wisdom in the eyes of the world ! Na- 
ture cries aloud at the first alarms. But it 
is good to see all her weakness, — afraid 
even of a servant, as was St. Peter, who 
had been so courageous. 

Whether it is owing to my ill state of 
health, occupations, or negligence, I find 
but very little facility or time for prayer; 
i.e., prayer in the usual form. And, 
what is still more strange, I do not seem to 
realize any regret at its loss, nor fear of the 
consequences. I was never more exposed 



FENELON TO MADAME GUYON. 205 

to temptations thaa here (at court) ; and it 
would seem, therefore, that I should pray- 
more. I experience cutting regrets on ac- 
count of my faults ; and yet, in the depths 
of my interior, I have never been more 
tranquil, more free, and never more child- 
like and bold in my conduct. I find my- 
self, invariably, at all times of inward recol- 
lection, united to God in the depths of 
my soul. 

I shall rejoice to see you on the day ap- 
pointed. I deny myself the pleasure of 
expressing at large my grateful remem- 
brance of all your favors. The bonds 
which unite us do not require complimen- 
tary words, although, in truth, I owe you 
very many, not complimentary, but very 
sincere. 

When I remember you, it is only to 
plunge myself deeper in the unknown of 
God, where I wish to lose myself forever. 

18 



206 LETTERS OP MADAME GDYON. 

XVI. 
MADAME GUYON TO PENELON. 

I PERCEIVE, sir, by your last, that you 
liad not then received my letter explaining 
matters more fully than is necessary to re- 
peat at the present time. It is true that my 
soul is too deeply centred in God to make 
much account of what takes place in the 
outside world ; and evil reports are too com- 
mon to alarm me. I knew you would suf- 
fer much ; and I knew, also, that all would 
be overruled for your good. I believe 
you have not only been preserved from 
sin in this trial, but your soul purified, 
your faith and abandonment strengthened. 
Rest assured, that, weak and unworthy as I 
am, God will never permit me to lead you 
astray, or do you the least injury. I have 
known from the commencement of our ac- 
quaintance, that, as it was the design of 



MADAME G[JYON TO FENELON. 207 

God to aid you by means of one so entire- 
ly unsuitable in the eyes of the world, 
you would have to suffer. And I too 
have suflfered much. When I would 
follow the rules which human prudence 
and wisdom dictate, and thus neglect for 
a time to follow the inspirations God gives 
me, I fear I displease him. I have suffered 
much to-day on this account. I cannot in 
the least degree go contrary to his will. May 
our Lord teach you how close is the union 
between himself and the soul fully conse- 
crated to him ! It seems to me impossi- 
ble to act of myself, separate from the 
divine will manifested in me. If I try to 
originate a movement or plan of acting, I 
find myself helpless as an infant, and with- 
out strength. What I do must have a cor- 
responding movement or life-power from 
within. One must pass through many 
deaths in order to reach this state, and do 
the will of God, as the angels in heaven 
from an intuitive perception of his will. 



208 LETTERS OF MADAME GUYON. 

It is something to become passive, and 
cease from self-interested movements ; but 
it is more to become passively active in 
doing the will of God. This is an experi- 
ence that few, comparatively, reach, because 
they have not courage enough to die to 
the extent that is necessary, in order to 
reach this state. One who has reached 
this state possesses an indomitable cour- 
age and firmness to execute all God's will 
at whatever cost. And, also, such an one 
experiences a corresponding infantile weak- 
ness or inability to do what is contrary to 
God's will. You, sir, will always receive 
strength from God when you need it. God 
will never leave you for a moment. He 
loves you beyond expression, as he testi- 
fies in my heart. 



FENELON TO MADAME GUYON. 209 

XVII. 

FENELON TO MADAME GUYON. 

I HAVE just returned from the country, 
madame, where I have remained five days, 
and found myself much at ease, excepting 
some little anxieties on your account. I 
have relished to some degree the things 
around me, and, at the same time, have ex- 
perienced much lassitude and indifi'erence, 
owing to my state of ill health. And yet 
I have realized in all a union with God, 
and a quiet submission to his will. Noth- 
ing at the present time embarrasses rae, — 
neither the diflSculties I encounter, neither 
my faults, nor what others think of me. 
These faults are humiliating enough ; but, 
so great is my peace in God and enlarge- 
ment of heart, they appear trivial, and also 
the suflferings occasioned by them. All 
things pass with me so naturally, and with 

18* 



210 LETTERS OP MADAME GUYON. 

SO little solicitude, that I am sometimes 
tempted to believe that this state proceeds 
from indifference and a loss of spiritual 
life. And what strengthens this impres- 
sion is having no burden of prayer, noth- 
ing to desire. And yet I have never ap- 
proached God in a manner so childlike, 
so deep, so continual, so one with himself. 
Many things around me might prove a temp- 
tation and a snare ; but God tempers them 
in such a manner that my heart neither rests 
nor desires to rest in any thing but God. 
Like Noah's dqve, it returns to the ark. 

I had written you a long letter ; but, in 
a little whirlwind of affairs, it is scattered 
among my papers, and I have searched a 
long time without finding it. I participate 
in all your griefs and in all your consola- 
tions, in the depths of my heart. I need 
just what you say in your letter just re- 
ceived. I am confident God is leading 
you, and leading me by you. My desire 
is, to follow always where God leads, how- 



FENELON TO MADAME GUYON. 211 

ever blind the way ; and will do so, pro- 
vided I know he is leading me. This is still 
an open question with me. I am so much 
accustomed to reason my way along, I 
find it not easy at all times to submit 
readily to the way God is leading me. 
But God is searching me out ; and I am in 
the right path, following your instructions, 
which I believe come from the Lord. In 
him, madame, I am yours increasingly and 
without reserve. 

I anticipate the pleasure of seeing you 
soon. God all, ourselves nothing. 



212 LETTERS OP MADAME GUYON. 

XVIIL 

MADAME GUYON TO MR. POIRET."^ 

The thirteenth chapter of the book I 
sent you expresses my state some years 
ago. What I now experience is more sim- 
ple, more naked, more nothing, and more 
God; a state so exalted, and so reduced 
regarding myself, as to leave me nothing 
to say of myself. Love seems now an ex- 
istence in me independent of my volitions, 
and distinct acts of the soul. I am not 
able ordinarily to make any distinction be- 
tween my will and the will of God. The 
soul seems not to know itself any more in 
those distinct acts and exercises which 
were its former life. God is, and God is 
all : the soul possesses all things in him 

* This is the last of the series of Madame Guyon's pub- 
lished letters, and is addressed to the celebrated Mr. Poiret. 
It is much abridged in the translation. 



MADAME GUYON TO MR. POIRET. 213 

purely, and not possessing them by any 
right of self-appropriation. I cannot re- 
flect nor reason about my state, because it 
is no state. I remain nothing, and God 
alone is my life. If I should indulge in 
scruples or fears or care or self-returns in 
any way, I should go out of my state. I 
have so little interest for myself, aside 
from God's will, that I seem in this respect 
as one who has no perception, emotions, or 
choice. I remain nothing. God is, and 
God is all in all. 



214 LETTERS TO MADAME GUY ON. 



SELECTIONS FEOM HER POETRY. 



A LITTLE BIRD I AM. 

A LITTLE bird I am, 

Shut from the fields of air ; 
And in my cage I sit and sing 

To Him who placed me there ; 
Well pleased a prisoner to be, 
Because, my God, it pleases thee. 

Nought have I else to do. 

I sing the whole day long ; 
And He whom most I love to please 

Doth listen to my song. 
He caught and bound my wandering wing ; 
But still he bends to hear me sing. 

Thou hast an ear to hear, 

A heart to love and bless : 
And, though my notes were e'er so rude, 

Thou wouldst not hear the less ; 
Because thou knowest, as they fall, 
That love, sweet love, inspires them all. 

My cage confines me round ; 

Abroad I cannot fly : 
But, though my wing is closely bound, 

My heart's at liberty. 
My prison-walls cannot control 
The flight, the freedom, of the soul. 



SELECTIONS FROM HER POETRY. 215 

Oh ! it is good to soar 

These bolts and bars above, 
To Him whose purpose I adore, 

Whose Providence I love ; 
And in thy mighty will to find 
The joy, the freedom, of the mind. 



GOD EVERYWHERE TO THE SOUL THAT 
LOVES HIM. 

Thou by long experience tried, 
Near whom no grief can long abide, — 
My Lord ! — how full of sweet content 

1 pass my years of banishment! 

All scenes alike engaging prove 
To souls impressed with sacred love : 
Where'er they dwell, they dwell in thee, — 
In heaven, in earth, or on the sea. 

To me remains nor place nor time : 
My country is in every clime. 
I can be calm and free from care 
On any shore, since God is there. 

While place we seek, or place we shun, 
The soul finds happiness in none ; 
But, with a God to guide our way, 
'Tis equal joy to go or stay. 

Could I be cast where thou art not, 
That were indeed a dreadful lot ; 
But regions none remote I call, 
Secure of finding God in all. 



216 LETTERS TO MADAME GUYON. 

My country, Lord, art thou alone : 
No other can I claim or own. 
The point where all my wishes meet, 
My law, my love, life's only sweet. 



I love my God, but with no love of mine. 

For I have none to give. 
I love thee, Lord ; but all the love is thine. 

For by thy life I live. 
I am as nothing ; and rejoice to be 
Emptied, and lost, and swallowed up in thee. 

Thou, Lord, alone, art all thy children need ; 

And there is none beside. 
From thee the streams of blessedness proceed ; 

In thee the bless'd abide, — 
Fountain of life and all-abounding grace, 
Our source, our centre, and our dwelling-place. 






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